If you happen to be a New York City based Olivia Rodrigo fan, then you’re in for a weekend of sweet surprises. Friday will be action packed, kicking it off with her sure-to-be iconic performance on the Today Show, followed by the fan scavenger hunt, and finally, the album released dance party courtesy of Club90sLA. But head a few blocks downtown to 25-27 Little West 12th Street any day this weekend, and prepare to be transported into the imaginative world of Olivia, at the mesmerizing Guts Gallery Pop-up.
Spotify and American Express have teamed up with Olivia to celebrate the release of her new album in an all new popup experience, with special perks or Spotify listeners and Amex cardholders! If you’re wondering what to expect for this monumental celebration of Olivia’s new album, you’ve come to the right place. The event is a lively, action packed, multi room experience that is mostly modeled after Olivia’s latest music video, directed by Petra Collins.
Back in August, Oliva graced the screens of fans worldwide with the video for her latest single Bad Idea, Right? which featured her real life friends Tate McRae, Iris Apatow and Madison Hu, and took place at a massive house party. The celebration saw the girls crowd surfing throughout all of the different rooms of the party as guests posed the ever so important question: is meeting up with an ex, specifically Olivia’s, a bad idea?
In nearly all cases, as the aforementioned guess informed Olivia, it is in fact a bad idea. But there’s no time to ponder that during the Guts Gallery experience, as every room poses a new adventure. As soon as you enter, you’re greeted with the exterior of a party that looks strikingly like the one in the video. Silver Guts balloons float in front of a large house, and you’ll stand on a lawn completely littered with purple and white solo cups. The culprit of the cup conjugation will soon reveal itself, as a quick look to the left will have party guests seeing a massive Guts mural, made from, you guessed it, purple and white solo cups!
The scene is so reminiscent, both to the music video itself and to what it felt like to be a high schooler. Olivia’s attention to detail is prominent in everything she does, but she’s reached a new level with Guts and the care and thought she’s put into it.
The walk-through experience is complete with many rooms, each separated by a charming disco ball themed beaded curtain. After completing your look around the party’s lawn (and if you’re anything but me, resisting the urge to find the owner of the house and offer to help clean up the cups) you have two options; a beaded curtain that leads to Olivia’s living room, or her bedroom. I went with the bedroom, but since the popup is circular, you really can;t go wrong with either choice.
Olivia’s Guts Gallery bedroom is truly everything you’d expect. From the iconic purple color scheme to the little details, like a blue typewriter like the one she teased the Guts tracklist on. The focal point of the room is a bed, complete with purple pillows spelling out the word of the weekend, and a gorgeous vanity inscribed with Happy Birthday Guts! If you head towards the back of the room, you’ll find what appears to be a closet with merchandise on display, but a further review will confirm that it’s actually an exclusive checkout for American express cardholders. The dedicated Amex-only checkout line comes with an exclusive gift with all purchases, not to mention that all fans who visit the GUTS Gallery will also receive a complimentary tote bag.
Head through the next array of disco beads to the next endeavor of this grandiose party, and you’ll be met with the next room, (and my personal favorite) Olivia’s kitchen! Upon arrival, one of the first things you’ll find is the ‘Amex More’ vending machine, where fans can win a variety of Olivia related prizes. But it won’t be without effort, you’ll need to brush up on your Oliva knowledge before heading to the vending machine, as you’ll be quizzed on fun facts, like her birth year, astrological sign, fandom name (which we’ve already hinted at earlier in this article) and so much more. If you manage to pass the test and prove yourself as a true Olivia fan, then you can look forward to adorable prizes like stickers and t-shirts.
That is far from all the kitchen has to offer, as the dining room table is decked out with craft supplies where fans can leave their very own love letter to New York. In her exclusive Q&A with fans on Guts Gallery preview, Olivia revealed that the album was written in New York, and the popup pays homage to its hometown in so many sweet ways. “I love your guts,” reads a sign on top of a stack of metallic scratch off hearts. “Leave a love note for New York to see!”
The craft station is fit with everything you could possibly need to fulfill that task, from stickers, to markers, to glitter washi tape. On the kitchen counter, you’ll find post-it notes to leave a similar message on the fridge. Across the way sits a purple bar where attendees can relax with a refreshing glass of purple lemonade, as well as purple lollipops and popcorn.
The final room may have been confusing to the preview night’s attendees, mostly made up of loyal Olivia fans who had received a special invitation from Spotify, but the answers would soon come, and be more than anyone could have imagined. The layout, though sure to change with the different excavations this weekend, was made up of a combination of chairs and throw pillows on the ground, where everyone was encouraged to sit in anticipation of a special surprise. “All attendees, please make your way to the living room,” a voice said over the intercom.
The buzz throughout the living room was quickly silenced when the background music (made up entirely of Olivia’s first album Sour) silenced, and a curtain opened on the back wall, revealing Olivia herself, clad in a stunning black floral dress. In a conversation moderated by Eva Chen, Olivia talked about everything from her Guts inspirations to her favorite NYC food spots, much to the delight of the adoring fans throughout the living room.
One more walk through the final disco ball beads will land you once again at the party’s lawn, where you can purchase exclusive Guts Gallery merchandise, which won’t be available anywhere else!
We could not possibly recommend joining in on the party yourself and visiting the Guts Gallery popup this Friday, Saturday or Sunday! Hear more about it here and stream Guts here!
- Friday 9/8: 1PM – 6PM EST
- Saturday 9/9: 12PM – 7PM EST
- Sunday 9/10: 12PM – 7PM EST
