Olivia Rodrigo has released “serena joy,” a new non-album track whose unusual rollout began with an extremely limited physical release — and whose title carries some pointed cultural baggage.
“serena joy” takes its name from the character Serena Joy Waterford in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, the privileged but complicit architect of the dystopian regime at the center of the novel and its television adaptation. The song’s title gives an additional edge to a track Rodrigo describes as punk in spirit, with an angsty, urgent and protest-minded charge. “I love this song so much!!!! ,” Rodrigo enthused on Instagram.
Written by Rodrigo and longtime collaborator Dan Nigro during the sessions for her third album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, the song first reached fans in decidedly old-school fashion: a one-store CD release at Analog Records in Tustin, Ca., on Friday (Aug. 21), ahead of today’s global arrival. The timing was intentional, with Rodrigo’s sold-out Daisy Chain Fields festival taking place Aug. 29 at Great Park in nearby Irvine.
With sets from Chappell Roan, KATSEYE, Doechii, Bikini Kill, Garbage and Rodrigo herself, the debut event is an especially fitting launchpad for “serena joy.” Daisy Chain Fields is built around an all-women lineup and a broader mission supporting women and girls, bringing artists and nonprofit organizations together for the inaugural event. A portion of the new song’s net proceeds will benefit the Daisy Chain Fields Fund.
“I’ve had a dream of doing this festival for years and i am so ecstatic its finally coming true!!,” Rodrigo wrote when the festival was announced. “Daisy Chain Fields features an all-women lineup and 100 percent of the net proceeds will go to charities dedicated to advancing and advocating for women and girls. The lineup is truly insane and full of my heroes and friends. I firmly believe that joy, community and music can be the drivers of meaningful change and I’m hopeful this festival will be just that. I absolutely cannot wait to scream and dance and sing with you guys.”
Rodrigo will perform “serena joy” live for the first time at Daisy Chain Fields on Saturday. The song’s physical debut at Analog Records also extends her recent embrace of independent record stores: nearly 200 shops participated in midnight sales surrounding the release of you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.