Mayla Montgomery

Building anticipation, a visual of melting candles that spell out “Guts” count down the minutes until Olivia Rodrigo makes her entrance. Rodrigo’s exceptional performance showcased her vocal capabilities, and prowess as a dynamic pop performer.

The anticipation in the air was evident in downtown Austin as thousands of purple-clad concertgoers flocked downtown to the Moody Center to see Olivia Rodrigo take the stage. Fans eager to see the bright, bold, angst-filled pop that Rodrigo has perfected on her second album Guts (stylized GUTS) flooded the stadium, their excitement infecting the atmosphere of the relatively new venue. The fourth stop on her GUTS World Tour, Rodrigo commanded the stage to create a powerful performance that more than showcased her pop-princess prowess. 

The energy of the show was set before Rodrigo even set foot onstage with an electrifying performance from opener Chappell Roan. An up-and-coming pop artist who has recently had a breakout year with the release of her album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, Roan more than delivered with her performance. With a uniquely energetic stage presence, Roan was able to both amp up the audience and have fun onstage without compromising her absolutely outstanding vocals. Where Roan’s music really shines is her lyrics: equal parts playful and heart wrenching, Roan expertly balanced those energies throughout her brief setlist. While the majority of the songs she played were energetic dance numbers such as Femininomenon, HOT TO GO!, and Red Wine Supernova, Roan was able to showcase her range with more intimate numbers such as Casual and Pink Pony Club. 

After a brief intermission to reset the stage, it was time for the main event: Rodrigo herself. A graphic of lit candles that spelled “GUTS” slowly melted, building suspense within the audience. When the candles crumbled and the lights went out, the crowd went wild. A video clip of Rodrigo running down a hallway played, before the sounds of knocking on a door heralded the first song of the night: bad idea, right?. With absolutely electrifying energy, Rodrigo and her five-piece all-female band started the show with a bang. 

The setlist was a perfect blend of the angsty pop rock perfected on GUTS and the powerful ballads that helped Rodrigo make a name for herself. Dynamic ballads such as vampire, happier, and drivers license — the song that jump started Rodrigo’s career — deeply resonated with an audience who was ready to sing every lyric with Rodrigo, creating a wonderfully connected chorus as Rodrigo bared her soul onstage. Cathartic revenge jams like brutal, good 4 u, and unreleased bonus track Obsessed showcased Rodrigo’s vocals and command of the stage as she fed off of the audience’s energy. 

The production elements of the concert truly shined. From costumes that perfectly captured Rodrigo’s playful grunge aesthetic to the addition of a troupe of talented dancers, as well as grandiose visuals on the screen behind the stage, Rodrigo and her team were able to create an all encompassing experience that served to elevate each song she played. Perhaps the most impressive element was the suspended crescent moon Rodrigo mounted to float through the audience, greeting each section of adoring fans as she crooned dreamy renditions of logical and enough for you. 

The whole night was a true testament to Rodrigo’s skill as a performer. Before she played teenage dream, a song Rodrigo wrote at 19 centered around the fear and apprehension that comes with growing up, Rodrigo introduced the song with a reflection on recently turning 21. “I don’t think growing up is so scary after all. It gets better with every passing year, so cheers to that,” Rodrigo said. The same is true of Rodrigo herself. She has truly come into her own with her sophomore album, and her show-stopping performance proves that the best parts of her and her art are still evolving, and only getting better as time goes on.