Inside Olivia Rodrigo's "Unraveled" Opener: A Four-Season Story and That Red-Beneath-White Dress Twist in "The Cure"
On opening night in Hartford, Connecticut, Olivia Rodrigo unveiled her "Unraveled" world tour — a two-hour show split into six chapters tracing spring through winter, capped by a striking reveal as a white gown transforms into red during "The Cure."
A white dress slowly dissolves in artificial rain, revealing a red one hidden underneath. It's not the only surprise in the "Unraveled Tour," but it's the most dramatic moment of the entire two-hour show — Olivia Rodrigo used a costume trick to mark the turning point of "The Cure," bringing the night's season-driven narrative full circle.
On the night of September 25th, Rodrigo took the stage at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Connecticut, officially kicking off the opening stop of her "Unraveled Tour" world tour, with Wolf Alice as special guest. The show was divided into six chapters: Spring, Summer, Summer Twilight, Autumn, Winter, and a second Spring — with the setlist drawing heavily from her third album, "You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love," released this past June.
The show opened with the album's lead single "Drop Dead," followed by "U + Me = <3》，再回頭銜接舊作《So American》與《Good 4 U》。Summer篇章裡出現的《Serena Joy》,是她上個月才發行的政治意味濃厚單曲——這首歌最初只以500張CD限量發行,後來才正式推出。
Midway through the show, Rodrigo briefly stepped away from the planned setlist to lead the entire crowd in singing "Happy Birthday" to her mother, who was in the audience. This moment didn't appear in any official setlist, yet it turned out to be the most personal part of the night. Another moment caught on camera came during the Winter chapter's "Less" — Rodrigo held the hand of a fan who was overcome with tears while performing.
The Autumn-to-Winter transition across the six chapters, and a three-song encore finale
The Autumn chapter strung together "Stupid Song," "Maggots For Brains," "Traitor," "Begged," and "Cigarette Smoke," with the pacing turning noticeably somber. Moving into Winter, "Honeybee" led things off, followed by the birthday moment and a medley of "Favorite Crime" / "Making The Bed" / "Teenage Dream," then "Drivers License" and "Less," before finally arriving at "The Cure" — the song that produced the white-to-red dress effect.
The second Spring chapter closed the show with a three-song run: "Deja Vu," "All-American Bitch," and "Expectations," echoing the opening and completing the show's full seasonal cycle.
The "Unraveled Tour" was announced back in April this year, with The Last Dinner Party, Devon Again, Grace Ives, and Die Spitz set to appear as guests across various dates. Due to overwhelming demand, additional shows have been added, including UK-exclusive residency dates at The O2 in London — Rodrigo is scheduled to perform 11 consecutive nights at the venue from April 5th to May 10th, 2027.
The tour's centerpiece album, "You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love," was released this past June. NME gave it a four-and-a-half-star review, writing: "This is a mainstream pop star unafraid to get weirder and more brilliant, willing to pour more of herself into the art. This album is proof of Rodrigo's growth as a creator, a songwriter, and a person."
Last month, Rodrigo also hosted the inaugural Daisy Chain Fields music festival, raising $10 million for organizations supporting women and girls. During her headline set, she brought out Stevie Nicks, Alanis Morissette, and Sarah McLachlan for joint performances of "Landslide," "Ironic," "Building A Mystery," and "Angel."
