Olivia Rodrigo's second single from her upcoming third album arrives as a deliberate change of tone. The track, called The Cure, follows Drop Dead, which debuted at No. 1 earlier this year. Where that first single tested whether fans would accept Rodrigo in a lighter mood, the new song leans back into darker, more dramatic territory, according to Variety.
The two songs contrast sharply from the opening notes. The Cure begins with fast acoustic strumming that calls to mind the intensity of Smashing Pumpkins' Adore or Foo Fighters' Everlong. The song runs five minutes and takes its time building. Rodrigo and her collaborator Dan Nigro hold back through most of the track before letting it grow into something larger roughly three and a half minutes in.
Variety noted that the song's patient structure sets it apart from the short-form pop singles that have become common in the streaming era. Rather than peaking early, the track builds deliberately and sticks what the review called a landing, which feels rewarding given the current TikTok-oriented trend toward songs that peter out after a promising opening.
The music video, directed by Cat Solen and Jamie Gerin, places Rodrigo in a retro hospital setting as an old-school nurse conducting experiments before she begins to experience her own body-horror complications. The organs she interacts with, which shift from red to grey and white, give way to imagery of Rodrigo bleeding red yarn. The video ends with a string coda and a scene of Rodrigo playing guitar.
Drop Dead had proven that Rodrigo's return carried genuine momentum. Several other high-profile pop comeback singles had recently failed to chart well, showing that her No. 1 debut was not simply a product of name recognition. The Cure now signals what the larger album may offer: a mix of new directions alongside the emotional weight that made her debut five years ago so broadly heard.
No release date for the third album has been announced.
