Olivia Rodrigo Proves She’s a Pop Music Game-Changer with 'Deja Vu'
By now, if you’re unfamiliar with 18-year-old Disney star, Olivia Rodrigo, you’re living under a rock. Between the popular High School Musical reboot, she stars in, a juicy teen love triangle involving her co-star and a certain blonde and her astronomical hit from a few months ago “Driver’s License,” Rodrigo’s name has been splashed across headlines for months. The Disney and drama of it all set her up perfectly to join the one-hit wonders club; “Driver’s License” could’ve easily been a “Call Me Maybe” or a “7 Years.” As it turns out though, Olivia Rodrigo’s debut tune was a cute little warm-up for a career that’s bound to become iconic and last a lifetime.
Old-fashioned TVs showing the mystery new girlfriend living out Olivia’s past love life, trippy flashes between the two teens wearing the same chic outfits, Olivia smashing the screens with a sledgehammer.
The Gen-Z star came back with a bang with “deja vu,” an alt-pop smash powered by Lorde-like melodrama and sharp Taylor-Swift-Esque storytelling. It seemed impossible that a second single could measure up to “Driver’s License,” but Rodrigo achieved the unachievable: she beat it. “deja vu” is vulnerable but self-assured, nostalgic but modern and mature but youthful. Production-wise, lyrically and musically, there are no flaws in the track. Producer Dan Nigro’s psychedelic take on Rodrigo’s authentic, singer/songwriter lyrics and melodies make for a high-quality pop music dream team.
The opening verse is captivating off the bat with vivid imagery of car rides to Malibu and strawberry ice cream against light, but eerie wurlitzer and toy piano sound. Teenage rage escalates until it explodes in the post-chorus with Nigro’s distorted mellotron sound — an exquisite sonic embodiment of the experience of deja vu. The mastery in every aspect of the song is chill-inducing. “Driver’s License” sounds like a gifted teen fresh out of a relationship, sitting at her piano and belting out her intense feelings. “deja vu” sounds like a full-fledged, top-of-the-game alt-pop artist who’s sophisticated, versatile and cool. If Olivia and Dan can do a “deja vu” on top of a “Driver’s License,” who’s to say there’s anything they can’t accomplish?
The music video, directed by Allie Avital, is camp at its finest — old-fashioned TVs showing the mystery new girlfriend living out Olivia’s past love life, trippy flashes between the two teens wearing the same chic outfits, Olivia smashing the screens with a sledgehammer. Talia Ryder stars as the new girl (fans would suggest Sabrina Carpenter) who’s now listening to Billy Joel, eating strawberry ice cream and driving in Malibu with Olivia’s ex in lieu of the singer herself. Avital could’ve treated Rodrigo like a typical teeny-bopper, but it’s clear from the video that she took the up-and-comer and her art very seriously...perhaps a benefit of having a woman director. This is no “lip-syncing and dancing around with no plot” type of music video. It’s a well-crafted storyline with delicious, colorful visuals and further evidence that Rodrigo fits in more with the greats than her own demographic.
*O*R is the working title for Rodrigo’s upcoming debut album, scheduled for release May 21, 2021. After two unprecedentedly strong singles, the stakes are high for the burgeoning pop star but from what we’ve seen of her thus far, she’ll likely continue to surpass all expectations. Don’t underestimate the petite Gen-Z Vanessa Hudgens; she’s a once-in-a-generation singer/songwriter and she’s here to stay. Taylor Swift won her first Grammy at 20-years-old... life-long Swiftie Rodrigo just might snatch hers even younger.