Olivia Rodrigo's Chipped Black Mani Immediately Takes Me Back To Middle School

For fans of Olivia Rodrigo, tiny Easter eggs hidden within her Instagram feed since early spring have subtly hinted at some fresh new music that may be dropping soon. Namely? A calendar in the back of a mirror selfie, with a tiny heart circling the date June 30. And while a new single titled Vampire is officially set to drop on that same day — the young artist *just* revealed her sophomore album’s name, cover art, and release date in a single post (and her fans are ready for the new era, to say the least).

Say hello to GUTS — which is creatively spelled out with some big letter rings along her fingers — set to debut on September 8, 2023. Given the title, it’s likely that the artist will spill her innermost thoughts and emotions in vulnerable new ways.

Similarly to her debut album, Sour, the cover art features Rodrigo pictured with a purple background (albeit a bit darker than the last cover), and overall, the mood appears to be a bit more moody and grown up. What’s more, she’s serving some Y2K-inspired Jessica Rabbit vibes with her deep scarlet-hued lips and sharp cat eye. Though TBH, my Millennial self immediately spotted her very nostalgic, imperfect manicure.

In lieu of perfectly painted hands, Rodrigo opted for some chipped, lack-luster nails. Artistically, it perhaps represents the listener finding the artist in a more real and unpolished state throughout the album, which may mean her lyrics might be quite pointed and raw.

Personally, her chipped mani is reminiscent of my younger years, say in middle school or high school, when myself and my peers were at the very beginning of that lifelong journey in discovering who we were and who we wanted to be. At the time, heartbreak felt like the end of the world, though in growing up, you realize how insignificant certain moments truly were (yet still, had a hand in shaping you all the same).