OLIVIA RODRIGO - VAMPIRE

Released: June 30, 2023

Charted:  UK: #1 (1 week)   US: #1 (2 weeks)

"Vampire" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. Geffen Records released it as the lead single from her second studio album, Guts (2023). Rodrigo co-wrote the song with its producer Dan Nigro. The shape-shifting song begins as a piano ballad before to explode into a pop-rock spectacle, unleashing a wave of nervous percussion and powerful vocals that embody wounded yet dramatic emotions.

"Vampire" is a haunting piano-backed lament that delves into the depths of a toxic relationship. In this maudlin and semi-gothic pop-rocker, Olivia Rodrigo recounts the tale of a boyfriend who manipulated her, fed her lies, and leeched off her fame. Rodrigo compares her ex-lover to a vampire, a creature that thrives on sucking the life force out of others. In this case, he took and took from her, leaving her emotionally depleted while offering nothing in return but empty promises.

"It's just a song about feeling used, and all of the anger and regret and heartbreak that comes with it," Rodrigo told Billboard. "And I think that's a common feeling, whether or not someone's famous. That was something that was just really bubbling inside of me - it's kind of an angry song, and I think I have a lot of trouble expressing feelings like anger and regret, those are particularly tough ones for me to express. I go to songwriting to get those feelings out that aren't super comfortable to express in everyday life. So it was a very therapeutic experience, writing this song."

Filmed in Los Angeles, the Petra Collins-directed video shows Rodrigo performing the song at an awards show. She captivates the audience until an unexpected twist takes center stage: A rogue stage light swings down, striking her shoulder with a powerful blow. But does that stop our fearless star? Absolutely not. As the pounding beat intensifies, a resilient and bloodied Rodrigo continues to pour her heart into the performance. When security guards surround her, she flees the auditorium, setting off a heart-pounding chase through the city streets. As she runs, Rodrigo ascends above the bustling traffic, defying the laws of physics. Perhaps she has a hidden secret, a vampire-like power coursing through her veins.