Music fans are 'obsessed' with Olivia Rodrigo's GUTS World Tour

Grammy-winning, 21-year-old singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo has seen huge success with her GUTS World Tour, performing songs from her latest album, "GUTS." Throughout 2024, Rodrigo will perform shows across North America and Europe, making stops in Los Angeles, London, Paris and, most recently, New York.

The tour is a spectacle, made special through Rodrigo's vulnerability as an artist. Through songs about her breakups, insecurities and fears, she showcases her willingness to be completely open and raw. 

She's found a balance between the flippant experiences of being a teenager and the mature experiences that come with being a young woman. Some of her songs emphasize teenage angst and naivety, while others are more insightful and thought-provoking.

As an artist, she's fostered a deep relationship with her fans — despite drawing in thousands of attendees at each venue, they all feel a personal connection to her.

To young girls, she fills the role of an older sister, who guides listeners through hardships and provides them with an emotional release. To older fans, she's a friend, there as a shoulder to cry on. Before performing the song "teenage dream," she confided in the audience about how she used to be very afraid of growing up but has since realized that it is a beautiful and exciting thing.

In addition to her openness, Rodrigo has also excited fans through the tour's branding. Whether it's through candid interviews or her eye-catching outfits, Rodrigo's ability to capture what Generation Z is thinking has catapulted her into being a cultural icon.

Most nights she wears a white tank top with a different quirky phrase on it — examples include "just a girl," "dump him" and "I love vampires." She's become known for her signature colors, purple and red, in addition to edgy effects on jumbotrons, star-shaped confetti and vampire motifs.

Fans have taken the task of matching Rodrigo's energy and adopting their own inspired outfits — it's even become a trend on TikTok. Her concerts are full of attendees matching this aesthetic by wearing tank tops with silly phrases on them, Dr. Martens, black tights and glittery skirts. Many people also wear purple, feather-lined cowboy hats.

Her shows also feature an engaging group of backup dancers, fun choreography, multiple outfit changes, sweet interactions with the crowd and a confetti finale. One of the most impressive sequences is when Rodrigo floats over the crowd on a glowing crescent moon, singing and waving to the audience while surrounded by glowing stars.

While this may seem a little excessive to some, Rodrigo's earned it.

She's has been in the public eye for a while now — her 2021 debut single "drivers license" soared to number one on the Billboard Top 100 in only a week.

Rodrigo could've easily been a one-hit wonder, but her continued fame through the GUTS World Tour demonstrates that she continues to be in tune with her audience and is willing to be unapologetically herself.