Olivia Rodrigo Releases 'Serena Joy,' A Song Inspired by 'The Handmaid's Tale'

Olivia Rodrigo is strongly embracing feminist themes, evidenced by her upcoming all-female music festival, Daisy Chain Fields, in California. Now, she's further reinforcing this stance with the release of a non-album track titled “Serena Joy.” The song is named after a significant character from "The Handmaid's Tale" who later regrets her role in a repressive patriarchal system.

Initially, “Serena Joy” was made available as a highly exclusive CD single, with only 500 copies pressed and sold solely at Analog Music Shop in Tustin, California. The store quickly reported that all copies were sold out.

However, this limited availability is temporary. Analog Music Shop, the primary source of information regarding the track, announced that Rodrigo plans to release the song widely on digital platforms on Monday.

The existence of a song named “Serena Joy” was previously confirmed by Rodrigo in June. Fans had noticed the title in a studio photo that listed 18 potential songs for her album, "You Look Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love."

In a video interview with Etalk two months prior, Rodrigo expressed her affection for the song, stating, "I actually really love [“Serena Joy”]. It didn’t fit on the album. The record was very much a chronicle of a relationship — beginning, middle and end. But I hope that it’ll be a part of something else down the line."

On Friday morning, Analog Music Shop shared their excitement about the exclusive release. They noted their eagerness to support Daisy Chain Fields, especially with it being held in their local area. The shop expressed gratitude for Rodrigo's support of independent record stores.

The shop's message highlighted: "We knew Olivia had a track record of supporting record stores, but we were still taken aback when we heard the news: Olivia is releasing a new song ahead of Daisy Chain Fields called ‘Serena Joy,’ and she wants the physical CD copies to be exclusively sold at Analog Record Shop. And the best part… She’s giving it to us 3 DAYS before anyone else can hear it. Three days early. More than anything, we’re grateful for what this represents: An artist building a stage for women in music and raising funds for women and girls. An artist willing to support a local independent record store. And a hometown getting to be part of something really special. That means a lot to us.”

The lyrics of “Serena Joy” were visible on the CD itself, shared by the shop. While the song doesn't explicitly name the "Handmaid's Tale" character or use direct references, the title provides a clear context for its thematic elements.

The lyrics include lines like, "Yeah, it’s all for the cause / For the good of us all / And if you close your eyes / Then it can’t be your fault," and "Here’s a tower we built / Painted gold on the walls."

A central recurring lyric, "If they do it to them / They’ll do it to you / If they do it to them / They’re gonna do it to you," strongly alludes to the plight of Serena Joy in the novel, who, despite holding a position of perceived power within the patriarchy, ultimately faces oppression and endangerment within the system she helped to create.

The song's message echoes Margaret Atwood's description of Serena Joy in the novel: "She doesn’t make speeches anymore. She has become speechless. She stays in her home, but it doesn’t seem to agree with her. How furious she must be, now that she’s been taken at her word."

Fans have largely responded positively online to Rodrigo's exploration of political themes in her music, with many agreeing that while the song wouldn't have fit the relationship-focused narrative of her album, it's a powerful statement. Comments on platforms like Genius have noted the shift, with one fan observing, “Forget hot girl summer we’re entering our dystopian propaganda era,” and another adding, “Hot girl summer into fascism fall.”