By Sandra Abrantes
Multimedia Coordinator
From a promotional mural wall in Los Angeles being repainted each day, to the announcement of Olivia Rodrigo’s third studio album, “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love,” the teasers have completed, and a first track was released.
On April 17, Rodrigo released the song “drop dead,” which has spent over 10 consecutive days as of April 28 at the No. 1 spot on Spotify’s United States chart, with approximately 27.9 million streams according to Billboard. Her music video, debuting the same day, has 21 million views and counting a week after its release.
Most of her fans are incredibly excited for this new album, and a new chapter in Rodrigo’s music career. With “drop dead” being a love song, fans were excited to see a positive, upbeat song that embraces happiness in relationships. Another factor of interest is the rebranding Rodrigo is doing with the release of this single.
With the completion of her promotional wall mural, it is clear the shift Rodrigo is hoping to make. While the wall started as her signature lavender purple, it transitioned over the course of eight days to a light pink, and on the final days of painting, included the title of her third album. This change is drastic from the artists’ previous albums, following a four-letter-name theme and purple as a motif color. Additionally, Rodrigo’s style has developed and changed, featuring a ruffle-filled babydoll dress, shorts and stocking trio which is unlike her typical pop-rock look.
Despite being a top charting song right now, Rodrigo has received mixed reviews from fans, some expecting a newer sound from her. While this first single is not indicative of how the entire album will sound, some reviews are worried it will be. Some noted that the sound is the generic synth-pop that is popular currently in many top-charting pop songs, however, as charts indicate, this is not everyone’s perspective.
In interviews with Rodrigo, however, she has stated the album is full of sad love songs, so fans expect the themes of her past two albums to remain, with the addition of her recent alleged breakup with British actor Louis Partridge. Rodrigo also confirmed in interviews that she was working on this album and writing these songs recently, within 2026.
The plans to make an album about love have been in the works since her final tours during the GUTS world tour. This can also be seen in the “GUTS (spilled)” song “so american,” where she discusses the impact London has had on her in addition to falling in love with someone there; Partridge.
While the themes of relationships persist in “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love,” Rodrigo assures the songs will not be focused on heartbreak, but rather new and exciting feelings of love. In an interview with British Vogue, Rodrigo states, “I realized all my favorite romantic love songs were beautiful because they had a tinge of fear or yearning in them.” In “drop dead,” the overarching theme is love. She has said the rest of the album will follow more of a sad love song theme, with longing and heavier emotions represented and focused on.
In the “drop dead" music video, Rodrigo danced around and used the Palace of Versailles as a bedroom, using wired earbuds to sing along to her song. Paired with dreamy lyrics like “You’re looking like an angel on the walls of Versailles, the most alive I've ever been, but kiss me and I might drop dead,” the music video visuals capture the feeling of young love perfectly.
What this release means for Rodrigo is an opportunity to grow in herself as an artist and young woman. “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love,” will be released on June 12, and “drop dead,” is available to stream on every listening platform.
