Suspended in the air on a glowing purple crescent moon, Olivia Rodrigo serenaded thousands of young fans at the Moda Center on Saturday, fulfilling hundreds of teenage dreams in the process.
Maybe it was my lavender-tinted glasses or the stage lights reflecting off thousands of sequins in the crowd, but as Rodrigo floated above the crowd of 14,000 fans, glowing purple stars twirled and twinkled around her, giving the venue an other-worldly feel.
Surrounded by screaming fans in a sea of purple-hued outfits, I could feel the celebration of girlhood in each wave of love that was sent Rodrigo’s way and reciprocated by the singer as she blew kisses, waved hello and complimented her fans.
More than just a musician, Rodrigo is a role model for legions of young girls. As a 23-year-old, I can say I look up to the artist who shamelessly opens her heart and leaves everything out in the open on her aptly titled “GUTS” album.
From heartbreak, obsession, revenge and insecurity, the themes of Rodrigo’s music take you through the growing pains of girlhood to womanhood.
Displaying newfound self-assurance, the 21-year-old artist seemed more at home in her performance than during her last Portland visit on the “Sour Tour” in 2022, when she took the stage at the much smaller Theater of the Clouds venue. The highly anticipated “GUTS World Tour” is Rodrigo’s first arena tour.
Swapping her plaid skirt for a rhinestone-covered two piece in the opening numbers, Rodrigo amped up the rock-star attitude for her second album, and her fans reflected it.
In a wave of purple, Rodrigo’s signature shade, fans debuted their carefully curated and over-the-top tour outfits. “Lacy” inspired bows with white trim, sequin miniskirts and hand-lettered tank tops adorned the fans lined up to get into the Moda Center.
With so many young listeners, the crowd was also filled with parents. A pair of fathers proudly proclaimed, “we had the GUTS to bring our daughters,” on matching purple T-shirts.
Rodrigo captivated attendees of all ages with a single guitar riff as she rocked out through the 90- minute set list that included hits from her 2023 “GUTS” and 2021 “Sour” albums. Rocking her own “twihard” top for the encore — a nod to the Portland-filmed “Twilight” movies — she closed the concert with the cathartic hit single “get him back!”
Rodrigo rose to fame during the pandemic after her viral song “driver’s license” debuted in January 2021. Igniting internet craze with the gut-wrenching ballad, Rodrigo found a global audience for her depiction of teenage girlhood.
Not too far from my own teenage girlhood, I can say with certainty that Rodrigo’s music gets to the core of those messy, angsty feelings. Instead of pushing them away, her lyrics embrace them in true pop-punk fashion, showing young fans it’s OK to not feel pretty enough or to obsess over your boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend. I mean, haven’t we all been there?
The three-time Grammy Award-winning artist shattered expectations for young musicians, with “Sour” debuting as the all-time highest-streaming album by a female artist on Spotify.
Beyond her musical achievements, Rodrigo has used her influential platform to spotlight social issues and encourage her young audience to vote — a commitment evident as officials patrolled the Moda Center hallways with clipboards, inviting attendees to register.
Rodrigo’s tour also brought the immersive GUTS World Tour Bus Experience to Portland. Set up in a nearby parking lot, the experience offered fans plenty of photo opportunities, a postcard writing tent and a customization station hosted by Dr. Martens where fans could bedazzle their shoes or merchandise.
With one final U.S. stop in Inglewood, California, before heading to Asia and Australia for the last leg of her tour, Rodrigo continues to sell out arenas around the globe. Until her next smash hit drops, I’ll be screaming my guts out at home.
— Chiara Profenna covers religion, faith and cultural connections. Reach her at 503-221-4327; cprofenna@oregonian.com or @chiara_profenna
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