Olivia Rodrigo previewed the next era of her career with the slow-burning ballad, “Vampire.” To ensure the song can dominate on the radio as it has streaming services, Rodrigo has workshopped “clean” edits of the scathing chorus.
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The original lyrics read: Bloodsucker, fame fucker / Bleedin’ me dry like a goddamn vampire. In a new TikTok, Rodrigo playfully creates new radio-friendly versions while trying to keep the same energy.
The alternative phrases to “fame fucker” include, “tree hugger,” “whale blubber,” “Mark Zucker,” and “garlic butter.” Rodrigo and her producer Dan Nigro can be heard laughing at the silly attempts at cleaning up the fiery lyrics.
In the end, despite the stiff competition, Rodrigo went with “dream crusher.” Check out the video, below.
Rodrigo chose to kick off the album cycle for her impending release, Guts, with a similarly affecting ballad to “Drivers License,” which acted as the lead single for her debut album.
While “Drivers License” was created by an innocent-sounding Rodrigo, “Vampire” sees the singer/songwriter leave the niceties at home and instead deliver a seething “telling off” to an ex-partner.
“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,” Rodrigo shared in a statement.
“It’s a song about feeling confused and hurt, and at first I thought it was meant to be a piano ballad,” she continued. “But when Dan [Nigro] and I started working on it, we juxtaposed the lyrics with these big drums and crazy tempo changes. It’s like a heartbreak song you can dance to.”
Rodrigo shared an equally show-stopping video along with the track, kicking off Rodrigo’s more mature direction with a bang.
The rest of Guts will arrive on September 8.
(Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
