Almost one year after the release of her debut album “SOUR,” Olivia Rodrigo came to Chicago for the eighth show of her SOUR tour. After her debut single “Drivers License” took the world by storm, there was no question that Rodrigo would be big enough to sell out every one of her shows.

Those lucky enough to get pre-sale tickets to one of the two Chicago shows had the pleasure of waiting in the mile-long line to enter the crowded Aragon Ballroom. Despite the venue being a little too small for the crowd, once the show began, all of the worries went away.

Gracie Abrams, daughter of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” director J.J. Abrams, opened for Rodrigo with a phenomenal setlist. Abrams kept the crowd intrigued with some of her most popular songs including “I miss you, I’m sorry” and “Stay.” While I have never heard her music prior to the show, after her stellar performance, I will no doubt be adding some to my mix.

Fans were also lucky enough to hear her newest single “Block me out” which came out a week ago. Abrams’ music style is similar to Rodrigo’s relatable Pop ballads, making her the perfect start to the night.

After Abrams finished, we waited for the band to set up for Rodrigo’s set. One Direction’s “Olivia” began to play and the crowd screamed as the song slowly faded into the intro of Rodrigo’s “Brutal.” Quickly transitioning into “Jealousy, Jealousy,” she was able to get the crowd amped up. 

Despite being able to hear all the songs well, Rodrigo was losing her voice from her back-to-back shows. As a new, young artist I do not think her voice is used to performing this much, so when she would speak to the crowd, it was incredibly hard to understand what she was saying. 

The next song she performed was “Driver’s License,” which was surreal to hear in person. Hearing the crowd sing the chorus back to her reminded me of all the times I sang the lyrics at the top of my lungs in my car. 

Not only did Rodrigo sing all the songs on her album, but also covered Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated” and Veruca Salt’s “Seether.” My favorite song from her performance though was her most popular song from “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” “All I Want.” The song became popular in 2020 on TikTok and led to her rise in popularity.

While her setlist was short, Rodrigo performed every upbeat song with a little bit of punk rock flare. Her slower, more intimate songs like “traitor” and “favorite crime” truly showcased her range as well.

I was not sure what to expect going into the concert because Rodrigo has never toured before, but she did not disappoint. “Good 4 U” if you got tickets, but if you did not, I would highly recommend hearing her live the next time Rodrigo tours.