‘Olivia Rodrigo: The Unraveled Tour’ Review: Exceeds Expectations

I was lucky enough to secure floor tickets for night two of Olivia Rodrigo’s much anticipated tour at Chicago’s United Center. I have personally been a fan of Rodrigo since 2015 when she starred as Grace in an American Girl Doll movie, even having the doll myself. So needless to say I was ecstatic to secure these tickets, since for her two previous tours I have missed out. I was especially excited because the album this tour is supporting, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, is by far and away my favorite work from the artist. The true magic of the album is how it takes you on a chronological journey through the beginning stages of a new love to the breakdown of the relationship. It is flawless from front to back, having some of Rodrigo’s stickiest chorus and some of her most complex, ethereal ballads. The world that the album establishes is so incredibly vivid I was hoping the concert itself would capture the magic of the album. I am happy to report it does. 

Instead of being broken into two sections like the original album, those being “Girl so in Love” and “You Seem Pretty Sad,” the concert is broken into the four different seasons. To separate these sections there are two main factors that display the change in season, those being the amount of flowers present on the stage and incredibly cinematic prerecorded videos to show the change. This structure lends well to the already established sections in the original album, while also giving her the ability to add additional songs from past albums. My personal favorite season is act two, also known as summer, where she sang My Way, Serena Joy, Bad Idea Right?, and Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl. The atmosphere was electric. 

With each season also came a change in weather. There are two moments that are absolutely breathtaking, those being the performances of Honeybee and The Cure. During Honeybee, Rodrigo is seated at a piano during act five, which is winter. As she gets near the end of the song small pieces of confetti start to fall creating the illusion of snow. It was striking to say the least. Then there is The Cure, one of the most unique and groundbreaking moments of the show, where Olivia Rodrigo is located at a smaller stage in the middle of the floor. During the end of the song rain comes falling down from above her, making her white dress start to disintegrate revealing a red dress underneath. It would be hard to think of a costume change as distinctive as this one. Not only is it a beautiful, powerful sight to behold, but it also elevates the themes of the song to a new level.  

Everything about the show is operating at a higher level. Olivia herself is on fire, having impeccable stage presence more akin to a rock star than the typical pop star. It is clear that Rodrigo is a once in a lifetime artist who is elevating artistically with every new release and tour. This was by far one of the most special nights of my life, not only because I got to see an artist I’ve been a fan of for more than ten years, but also because of the quality of the concert and artistry on display. If you already have your tickets get ready for the night of a lifetime and if you don’t unfortunately you’re missing out on one of the best tours of the year. 

Olivia Rodrigo is an American recording artist known for her commercial and critical hit albums, such as Sour and Guts. Her last album You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love is available to purchase anywhere you buy music. Chicago was the fifth stop of The Unraveled Tour. 

Thanks for reading this review of Olivia Rodrigo’s The Unraveled Tour. If you liked this article, make sure to check out more of our music articles here at Feature First.