Olivia Rodrigo duets with Sheryl Crow at Nashville 'Guts Tour' stop, other top moments from the night of pop-punk

On Saturday night, Olivia Rodrigo took to the stage at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, donning sparkles and exuding angst. And in front of a packed house of hungry fans, she spilled her "Guts."

Rodrigo's "Guts World Tour" brought her to Nashville as the 10th stop in her 57-date tour, hitting the stage after opener Chappell Roan. Rodrigo's second headlining tour comes on the heels of her sophomore album release last September, "GUTS."

The second studio album cemented Rodrigo as an angsty rocker-chick, the princess of pop-punk. And though she only just turned 21, Rodrigo's vocal and songwriting chops are reminiscent of the some of the greats, like Alanis Morissette, Lorde, Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey and Avril Lavigne.

Olivia Rodrigo performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., for her Guts World Tour, Saturday, March 9, 2024. Her opening songs were Bad Idea, Right?, Ballad of a homeschooled girl, Vampire.
Olivia Rodrigo performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., for her Guts World Tour, Saturday, March 9, 2024. Her opening songs were Bad Idea, Right?, Ballad of a homeschooled girl, Vampire.

"GUTS" was no sophomore slump for Rodrigo, with songs "Vampire," "Bad Idea Right?" and "Get Him Back!" rising to the top of the charts.

In the midst of her stardom, fans may forget Rodrigo's theater kid, Disney television background. She got her start on Disney Channel in 2016 before signing a record deal in 2020. Soon after, her 2021 album "SOUR" shot her to pop music fame with songs "Drivers License" and "Good 4 U."

Despite her move from acting to music, audience members in Bridgestone Arena could see the distinct, emotive storytelling behind Rodrigo's eyes as she sang. She acted through her music, getting angry on "Vampire" and sorrowful during "Drivers License," wistful during "Teenage Dream" and fully tormented during "Obsessed."

Rodrigo's storytelling was so transportive that the show seemed laced with elements of musical theatre.

Red talking lips were shown on the screen behind Rodrigo during "All American B****," reminiscent of the iconic opening from cult classic "Rocky Horror Picture Show." During "Love is Embarrassing," Rodrigo's line of backup dancers, posing and backlit, felt like the lineup from musical Chicago's "Cell Block Tango."

Rodrigo's show also had a distinct girly grunge to it. The night featured an all-female rock band and female backup dancers. Rodrigo's band, clad in all black and decorated with tattoos, showed range with everything from intense drum grooves and electric guitar solos to moody acoustic sets.

Olivia Rodrigo performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., for her Guts World Tour, Saturday, March 9, 2024.
Olivia Rodrigo performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., for her Guts World Tour, Saturday, March 9, 2024.

Rodrigo's backup dancers added an intense level of theatricality to the songs where they appeared, first showing up on song "Traitor," creeping onto the stage in a line. Throughout the show, their movements were not like most backup entourages on A-list pop tours. Instead, they could've easily been characters pulled from a Tim Burton movie, fueled by a distinct gothic grittiness.

Their choreography was angular, animated, and at some points, twisted and doll-like. Other times, they were stomping and roving, punchy, spastic, and at their calmest, lyrical.

Rodrigo's "GUTS" show was feminine, showered in red, pink and purple lights and showcasing glittery outfits. But—it also leaned into theatricality and anger, borrowing from grunge and punk music. Her show was anything but one-dimensional.

Here are some of the top moments from Rodrigo's concert in Nashville.

Olivia Rodrigo performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., for her Guts World Tour, Saturday, March 9, 2024.
Olivia Rodrigo performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., for her Guts World Tour, Saturday, March 9, 2024.

Olivia Rodrigo brings out Sheryl Crow for 'If It Makes You Happy' duet

"Okay Nashville, I'm very excited because tonight we have a special guest," Rodrigo said after singing her song from "The Hunger Games" soundtrack, "Can't Catch Me Now."

Rodrigo continued, "I think she's one of the most talented, most wonderful, kindest human beings I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. I've been lucky enough to sing with her a few times and I'm even luckier to call her a friend. Will you guys please give it up for the incredible Sheryl Crow!"

Crow walked onstage with an electric guitar and the two split center stage to duet on Crow's 1996 classic "If It Makes You Happy."

The duo built off of one another's voices with harmonies, blending together to create a fresh new rendition of the song. Crow and Rodrigo smiled at each other as they belted, "If it makes you happy / It can't be that bad / If it makes you happy / Then why the hell are you so sad?"

This isn't Rodrigo's first time hitting the stage in Nashville with Crow. In September, Rodrigo sat with Crow at the iconic Bluebird Cafe to perform the same tune as a duet.

"Pinch me!" Olivia Rodrigo said on Instagram afterwards. "Sang one of my favorite songs of all time with the greatest of all time @sherylcrow !!!! what an honor!!!!"

More: Watch Olivia Rodrigo and Sheryl Crow sing together at Nashville's Bluebird Cafe

A vulnerable, angry 'Vampire'

Olivia Rodrigo performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., for her Guts World Tour, Saturday, March 9, 2024.
Olivia Rodrigo performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., for her Guts World Tour, Saturday, March 9, 2024.

Rodrigo's hit song "Vampire" came early in the night as her third song of the set. The tune lit the crowd aflame.

As Rodrigo began singing, the audience belted out the tune along with her, nearly overpowering the sound of Rodrigo's voice. Rodrigo stood against an image of the moon in the background, singing at the mic center stage. During the chorus, lights flashed and strobed, coating the crowd with the vampiric red light.

Rodrigo's impressive belt and crisp, clean voice shined throughout the song. She sang, "But you've made me look so naive / The way you sold me for parts / As you sunk your teeth into me, oh / Bloodsucker, famef***** / Bleedin' me dry, like a goddamn vampire."

Rodrigo travels around arena on the moon

Olivia Rodrigo performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., for her Guts World Tour, Saturday, March 9, 2024.
Olivia Rodrigo performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., for her Guts World Tour, Saturday, March 9, 2024.

Before the song "Logical," a shining moon descended onto the stage as twinkling stars dropped above the audience and bobbed up and down over the entire arena.

Rodrigo made her way to the crescent moon and perched with her legs dangling over the side. The moon slowly carried her around the arena over her fans.

As Rodrigo sang ballads "Logical" and "Enough For You," she waved to audience members and said hello, using the traveling fixture as an opportunity to connect with fans far away from the stage. Purple lights and a dreamy haze filled the arena.

Rodrigo goes punk-pop for 'Brutal' and 'Obsessed'

Olivia Rodrigo performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., for her Guts World Tour, Saturday, March 9, 2024.
Olivia Rodrigo performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., for her Guts World Tour, Saturday, March 9, 2024.

A switch flipped in Rodrigo as the show moved from "Deja Vu" and "The Grudge" to "Brutal" and "Obsessed." The screen showed a white sheet burning to a crisp during a progressive rock-metal musical interlude, seemingly representing the death of innocence. From there, Rodrigo and her band was all punk and grunge.

She came back to the stage in sparkly red dress for song "Brutal," singing, "If someone tells me one more time / 'Enjoy your youth,' / I'm gonna cry / And I don't stick up for myself / I'm anxious and nothing can help."

Rodrigo moved into "Obsessed," where she pressed her body up against a glass portion of the stage floor and a camera, from underneath, streamed her movements to the audience. As heavy guitar pulsed underneath, Rodrigo appeared haunted and consumed, spiraling into madness as she sang of a partner's ex.

"She's got those lips, she's got those hips / The life of every f***** party...I'm so obsessed with your ex."

Rodrigo champions reproductive rights, feminism

Rodrigo's tour included a charitable component, supporting nonprofits that bolster reproductive rights and abortion access.

Shortly before the "Guts World Tour," Rodrigo announced her project the Fund 4 Good, a global initiative committed to building an equitable and just future for women and girls through direct support of community non-profits.

For Rodrigo's North American stops, including her show in Nashville, the Fund 4 Good partnered with local chapters of the National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF), an organization whose goal is to ensure abortion access for all. The NNAF had tables at the Nashville show for concert-goers to learn more about their work in racial, economic and reproductive justice.

Throughout the show, Rodrigo nodded to the importance of feminism and autonomy for women. During her song "All American B****," images and headlines that represent misogyny and unrealistic beauty standards showed on the screen behind Rodrigo.

With contempt, Rodrigo sang, "I'm grateful all the time / I'm sexy and I'm kind / I'm pretty when I cry."

An electric encore: 'Good 4 U' and 'Get Him Back'

Olivia Rodrigo performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., for her Guts World Tour, Saturday, March 9, 2024.
Olivia Rodrigo performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., for her Guts World Tour, Saturday, March 9, 2024.

The night ended with an energetic encore of two of Rodrigo's biggest hits: "Good 4 U" and "Get Him Back."

Both of which featured Rodrigo belting, stomping and jumping with passion. On "Get Him Back," Rodrigo held a red bullhorn in place of a microphone, singing the hit with vigor. "I wanna get him back / I wanna make him really jealous, wanna make him feel bad / Oh, I wanna get him back!"

And with that, the show came to a momentous close for the arena of screaming young fans in Doc Martens, sequins and purple dresses. As the audience sang along, confetti cannons burst, shooting stars over the arena and Rodrigo thanked Nashville for its energy.

Olivia Rodrigo's Nashville Guts Tour Setlist

Bad Idea, Right?

Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl

Vampire

Traitor

Drivers License

Teenage Dream

Pretty isn’t Pretty

Love is Embarrassing

Making the Bed

Logical

Enough for You

Lacy

Jealousy, Jealousy

Can't Catch Me Now

If It Makes You Happy (with Sheryl Crow)

Happier

Favorite Crime

Deja Vu

The Grudge

Brutal

Obsessed

All-American B****

Encore: Good 4 U, Get Him Back!

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Olivia Rodrigo duets with Sheryl Crow at Nashville 'Guts Tour' stop, other top moments

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