Olivia Rodrigo takes on complicity and oppression in surprise song 'Serena Joy'

By GMA News Published August 25, 2026 12:46pm + Add GMA on Google Make this your preferred source to get more updates from this publisher on Google. Olivia Rodrigo surprised fans with the release of her new song “Serena Joy,” a politically charged track inspired by the character Serena Joy Waterford from the Margaret Atwood book “The Handmaid’s Tale.” On Instagram, the Filipino-American singer announced its digital release, sharing the cover of the song. “Surprise!!! Serena Joy out on streaming platforms now. A portion of all net proceeds go to daisy chain fields fund. I love this song so much!!!!” she said. In “Serena Joy,” Olivia explores themes of complicity, power, and oppression through lyrics that warn against ignoring injustice when it does not directly affect you. The chorus repeats the lines, “If they do it to them/ Thеy'll do it to you/ If they do it to them/ They're gonna do it to you.” In “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Serena Joy begins as a passionate, far-right religious activist instrumental in building the oppressive regime of Gilead, only to eventually be subjugated by the very society she helped create, losing her own freedom and fundamental rights under its strict laws. Ahead of the digital drop, “Serena Joy” was first released at independent record store Analog Record Shop in California with a limited number of 500 copies. In June, Olivia released her third studio album, “ You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love .” In 2024, Olivia visited the Philippines for her first concert in the country. During the sold-out show, Olivia proudly embraced her Filipino heritage by thanking her kababayans, wearing a "Miss So Filipina" sash, sporting a statement shirt that read "Pinoy Pride," and more. — Carby Basina/LA, GMA News