Say it, out loud. We love Olivia Rodrigo’s “vampire” lyrics! But who is the song about? On June 13, 2023, the “Sour” singer announced her new single “vampire” on social media before she announced her newest album Guts.
Fans can pre-orderGUTS, which is releasing on September 8, 2023on CD, cassette, vinyl, and limited-edition box sets with an exclusive vinyl and cover from Target. The “good 4 u” singer is also releasing CD and vinyl versions of her newest single.
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“For me, this album is about growing pains and trying to figure out who I am at this point in my life,” Olivia said in a press release about her new album. “I feel like I grew 10 years between the ages of 18 and 20—it was such an intense period of awkwardness and change. I think that’s all just a natural part of growth, and hopefully the album reflects that.” The cover photo of the single includes a black-and-white profile of the artist with a lavender bandaid covering her jugular on her neck, referencing the 1968 vampire filmDracula Has Risen from the Grave.
So who are Olivia Rodrigo‘s “Vampire” lyrics about and what does the song mean?
Who are Oliva Rodrigo’s “Vampire” lyrics about?
Who are Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire” lyrics about? Olivia shared a snippet of the music video in an Instagram video where she’s laying down in a forest meadow (akin to one of her films of inspiration and the iconic vampire movie Twilight) when chaos rains down. The music video is directed by Petra Collins who also directed the “good 4 u” music video which directly references Olivia’s favorite movies Jennifer’s Body, Audition, and The Princess Diaries.
Dainty pianos and whirring guitars play as Olivia belts about how her lover was a “bloodsucker.” She told Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 about writing the song, ” I wrote the song on the piano, super chill, in December of last year. And my producer Dan and I finished it in January and finished writing it. And I’ve just always been really obsessed with songs that are very dynamic. My favorite songs are high and low, and reel you in and spit you back out. And so we wanted to do a song where it just crescendoed the entire time and it reflects the pent-up anger that you have for a situation.”
She also elaborated about the songwriting process going back and forth between Dan Nigro’s Los Angeles studio and the iconic Electric Lady Studios in New York City. “I was upset about a certain situation and went to the studio alone and sat down at the grand piano, and the chords and melody and lyrics just poured out of me — almost like an out-of-body experience,” the singer recalls in a press release. “It’s a song about feeling confused and hurt, and at first I thought it was meant to be a piano ballad. But when Dan and I started working on it, we juxtaposed the lyrics with these big drums and crazy tempo changes. So now it’s like a heartbreak song you can dance to.”
As for rumors that it’s about Zack Bia, the DJ thought that it wasn’t directed towards him. “I don’t think it’s really about me. I think the Internet just ran with it,” he confessed to GQ. “We hung out, we’re both busy, and we ended up not furthering our relationship. There was never any drama, you know?”
Olivia Rodrigo “Vampire” lyrics
Here are Olivia Rodrigo “Vampire” lyrics via Genius.
[Verse 1]
Hate to give the satisfaction askin’ how you’re doing now
How’s the castle built off people you pretend to care about?
Just what you wanted, look at you, cool guy, you got it
I see the parties and the diamonds sometimes when I close my eyes
Six months of torture that you sold as some forbidden paradise
I loved you truly, gotta laugh at the stupidity
[Chorus]
‘Cause I’ve made some real big mistakes
But you make the worst one look fine
I should’ve known it was strange
You only come out at night
I used to think I was smart
But you made me look so naive
The way you sold me for parts
As you sunk your teeth into me, oh
Bloodsucker, famef*cker
Bleeding me dry like a goddamn vampire
[Verse 2]
Every girl I ever talked to told me you were bad, bad news
You called them crazy god I hate the way I called them crazy too
You’re so convincing
How do you lie without flinching?
(How do you lie, how do you lie, how do you lie?)
Oh, what a mesmerizing, paralyzing, f*cked up little thrill
Can’t figure out just how you do it and God knows I never will
Went for me and not her
‘Cause girls your age know better
[Chorus]
‘Cause I’ve made some real big mistakes
But you make the worst one look fine
I should’ve known it was strange
You only come out at night
I used to think I was smart
But you made me look so naive
The way you sold me for parts
As you sunk your teeth into me, oh
Bloodsucker, famef*cker
Bleeding me dry like a goddamn vampire
[Bridge]
You said it was true love
But wouldn’t that be hard?
You can’t love anyone
‘Cause that would mean you had a heart
I tried you help you out, now I know that I can’t
‘Cause how you think’s the kind of thing
I’ll never understand
[Chorus]
‘Cause I’ve made some real big mistakes
But you make the worst one look fine
I should’ve known it was strange
You only come out at night
I used to think I was smart
But you made me look so naive
The way you sold me for parts
As you sunk your teeth into me, oh
Bloodsucker, famef*cker
Bleeding me dry like a goddamn vampire
When did Olivia Rodrigo’s new album come out out?
Rodrigo has been teasing new music since 2022 andGutsis just the latest. She talked toBillboardextensively about her songwriting process when she was awarded Billboard Woman Of The Year. In fact, she’s been preparing for it ever since the release ofSour.“I have a title for my next album and a few songs,” she told the site. “It’s really exciting to think about the next world that’s coming up for me. I just love writing songs. I’m trying not to put too much pressure on myself. [I want to] just sort of explore and have fun right now.”
Will Olivia Rodrigo’s next albumGutsinclude bonus tracks? Sour was sweet in terms of the number of tracks, with only eleven songs listed. “I chose not to do any bonus tracks or special editions becauseSourjust felt like such a distinct era in my life, and I felt like I wanted to give the songs and album time to breathe,” she recounted. “And yeah, I’m excited to create a new era of my music. I really like the way the album existed as a body of work.”
She’s also working with hernumber one collaboratorDaniel Nigro for her next era and albumGuts. “I absolutely love working with Dan. We have such a good groove together. We are always sharing ideas back and forth and have been carving out time to work together in the studio. The craziness ofSourbeing out in the world was something that really only Dan and I could relate to, and I think that has brought us closer together. I trust him so much and really enjoy the music we’ve been making.”
Though theHigh School Musical: The Musical: The Seriesactress launched into musical pop stardom, she’ll always go back to her roots and her feelings. “It’s definitely a different experience writing a second album after having a debut that was so well received. I still write so much of my music in my bedroom though, and I don’t think that experience will ever change. Writing songs will hopefully always be an outlet for me to process my feelings before anything else.”
As for the surrounding topics on her new album, Rodrigo assured that she was done being “sad.” “I’m definitely not as sad as I was when I wroteSour,” she toldElle.I’m so excited to make my next record and explore more colors and textures and feelings and grow as a human being even more. I’m really stoked for that.”
Buy the Target Exclusive with an alternate photo cover of Guts here.
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