More about: Olivia Rodrigo

Last night 2021 pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo debuted her Sour Prom conceptual concert film. Coming in at just under half an hour, she uses songs from her recent album SOUR to take you through an alternative prom night.

Full of subtle movie references, famous faces and of course unparalleled vocal performances from Rodrigo, it was a totally fresh take on making a concert film that fans have already dubbed a masterpiece. Here are some of the highlights and hidden gems you might have missed along the way.

Classic movie references

The intricate details in the ‘good 4 u’ music video have already proven that Rodrigo and her team love a good movie reference. And in the Sour Prom, we immediately get a reference to the 2013 remake of Stephen King’s Carrie as a white limousine pulls up to the house. It’s an obvious choice for her prom-style concert film, and as fun as it would have been to see someone get drenched in blood, it’s the hidden references like this that best showcase the talent of Rodrigo and her creative team.

'happier'/'deja vu' mash up

Next, we’re treated to an unexpected mash-up of two fan favourites from the album, ‘happier’ and ‘deja vu’. Fans who were watching along were rightfully obsessed straight away, as Rodrigo lounges in the back of a limousine threading the two songs together on her way to the titular prom.

The rock ‘n’ roll prom queen

Upon arrival at the main event, we launch straight into a performance of one of SOUR’s heavier tracks, ‘brutal’. You can’t resist the alternative prom queen image, the balloons and lights contrasting the heavy guitars speaks to the teenage angst that lives inside us all. The tight choreography and stunning vocals make it one of the best performances in the whole concert.

Of course, we can’t avoid the elephant in the room – recent accusations from Courtney Love that the Sour Prom’s marketing aesthetic directly copies the album cover of Hole’s Live Through This. The line between homage and plagiarism is the hot new debate online, and Olivia Rodrigo has found herself at the centre of it. But years of teen movies (and of course, Stephen King) have made it impossible to attribute the sad prom queen trope to a single person. In any case, the visuals in the SOUR prom give it a modern edge. Whatever your opinion, this concert film is nothing short of ingenious.

The All-Star cast

In the low light of the school gym, you might have missed some of the famous faces that made an appearance throughout the night. Among the group were singer Conan Gray, actress Iris Apatow (daughter of Judd), actress Madison Hu and Regrettes guitarist and vocalist Lydia Night. Rodrigo is also joined by a full marching band, cheerleading squad and some insanely good dancers throughout.

The coming-of-age vibes

Nobody really thought of SOUR as a concept album, but the Sour prom shows that it could at least soundtrack a great coming-of-age film. Even looking beyond the glorious aesthetic choices, there’s a real sense of growth in her performance here. She appears as a woman who has been through a seriously bad heartbreak and has come out the other side. She allowed herself to feel all of the intense emotions that came with it and created something beautiful. And doesn’t that sound like the plot of your next favourite indie film? It will be interesting to see how SOUR develops, both in the context of Olivia Rodrigo’s career and as a cultural landmark in itself.

She made proms more bearable

Seriously, am I the only person who spent my prom watching people throw up everywhere and having the DJ ignore my song requests? I’m getting jealous over here.

The Grand Finale: ‘good 4 u’

There are a lot of performances you could go into detail about – the piano on the football field drama of ‘drivers license’, or playing an acoustic guitar in a photography darkroom, to name a few examples. But for now, we’re going to focus on the pièce de resistance, ‘good 4 u’. They pulled out all the stops on this showstopper finale, with a marching band, bright lights and personal cheer squad. Notice the return of the cheer uniforms from the single’s music video, a direct reference to those in The Princess Diaries (which is the best film ever made, by the way). If Olivia Rodrigo plans to have this level of detail in her shows when she can finally tour the album, fans are in for a massive treat.

Olivia Rodrigo's SOUR Prom is available on YouTube now.

More about: Olivia Rodrigo