Olivia Rodrigo has found a home for one of the songs that didn’t make you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love — although, for the moment, you’ll need to be one of 500 people and have a CD player to hear it legally.
On Friday, Rodrigo quietly released “Serena Joy” through Analog Music Shop in Tustin, California, making just 500 copies of the CD single and making them available exclusively at the independent record store. All 500 sold out within hours, but the exclusivity won’t last long: the track is expected to hit streaming services on Monday, August 24th.
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Named after Serena Joy from Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, the song finds Rodrigo moving away from the romantic turmoil that drives much of her latest album and toward a warning about complicity in oppressive systems. The lyrics don’t explicitly mention Gilead or the character herself, but Rodrigo repeatedly warns that those willing to look away while others lose their rights shouldn’t expect to remain protected themselves. At one point, she cautions, “They’ll do it to you.”
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“Serena Joy” had been floating around Rodrigo lore since fans spotted its title among 18 songs in a studio photo earlier this year. Asked about the track in June, Rodrigo explained that she “really” loved it but ultimately cut it because you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love was conceived as a chronological account of a relationship. “I hope that it’ll be a part of something else down the line,” she said.
That “something else” appears to be Daisy Chain Fields, Rodrigo’s inaugural all-women festival taking place August 29th in Irvine. Analog Music Shop said Rodrigo approached the store about giving it the only physical copies of “Serena Joy” three days ahead of the wider release, tying the drop to a festival built around supporting women in music and organizations benefiting women and girls.
The connection is particularly fitting for a song invoking The Handmaid’s Tale. Daisy Chain Fields will feature Rodrigo alongside Chappell Roan, Doechii, Mitski, Bikini Kill, Garbage, The Breeders, KATSEYE, and more, with every set staggered so fans don’t have to choose between performers. Check out the complete Daisy Chain Fields schedule ahead of next weekend’s festival.
As for anyone who missed the 500-copy scramble, waiting until Monday will probably be easier than checking eBay. The ultra-limited CDs are already appearing on resale marketplaces for hundreds of dollars.