It’s an Olivia Rodrigo summer!

The perfect summer consists of three things: sunshine, ice cream, and a playlist on constant repeat.

Despite its June debut, Olivia Rodrigo’s third studio album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, continues to be at the top of my Recently Played list.

Some of you might be asking, isn’t this a sad album? Yet, that’s what makes it perfect for summer — it’s happy and sad.

I love a catchy, feel-good song as much as the next person, but as someone who gets overstimulated easily, I need something mellow to balance out the noise.

Rodrigo’s album begins with a song called “drop dead,” a soft ballad that gradually builds into the familiar powerful anthem sound seen in her previous work. It’s a marriage of gentle and explosive vocals and instrumentals.

The shift in tempo in “drop dead” parallels the start of summer — a season that slowly transitions from mixed weather into blistering heat.

The second single on the album, “the cure,” is a great example of what mid-July feels like.

Everything feels intense, we’re scrambling for shade or some AC, and no amount of iced coffee brings lasting relief. Our sweat turns sticky, and we convince ourselves we don’t need to reapply sunscreen until we wake up the next day with a terrible burn.

In the same way we tell ourselves we can skip out on sunscreen and end up getting burned, many songs on this album describe what happens when we make excuses in order to save a relationship.

After her breakup with actor Louis Partridge, many of Rodrigo’s fans speculated this album to be about their relationship. Songs like “purple,” “begged,” and “cigarette smoke” give a good insight into what went wrong.

These songs are the holy trinity. Acoustic guitars and layered vocals convey the feelings of sadness, disappointment, and desperation after realizing someone’s not right for you after trying so hard to make it work.

The summer brings about the same feelings for me. I know these sunny days will pass by in the blink of an eye. When it finally does, I’m often left wishing I could turn back time while also feeling like I didn’t fully take advantage of the good weather.

Rodrigo is not only a lyrical genius, she’s also raised by parents who listened to rock bands like The Cure, The Smashing Pumpkins, and No Doubt.

This makes her the perfect person to bridge the gap between generations.

Her song “what’s wrong with me” featuring Robert Smith, lead vocalist of The Cure, introduces younger listeners to an iconic voice and sound while still being able to relate to Rodrigo’s storytelling.

Aside from the musical composition, the album’s lyric videos are also a work of art. Different artists were commissioned to create animated videos, and they did not disappoint.

The stop-motion animations feature everything from coloured drawings to felt and paper cut-outs and puppets all unique to each artist’s style.

Featuring handmade artwork highlights is part of a growing trend — going analog, which involves stepping away from our digital devices to focus on more hands-on activities.

Rodrigo really hit the mark for what I look for in a perfect summer playlist. Melancholic melodies that slowly crescendo into catchy beats is the epitome of summer.

Enjoy the rest of the sunny season with you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, because it’s nothing “less” than summertime magic.