Olivia Rodrigo is known for her bold lyricism. Most recently, her record-breaking songwriting instincts produced “Vampire,” the lead single from her forthcoming sophomore album, Guts.
The piano-based ballad steadily ramps up to the song’s hook, “Bloodsucker, fame f*cker / Bleedin’ me dry like a g*ddamn vampire.”
Rodrigo is tending to the f-bomb for the clean version of “Vampire.” The three-time Grammy winner posted a TikTok on Wednesday, July 5, of her running through various alternatives in the studio with producer Dan Nigro. She had some fun with it, giggling as she cycled through “fame lover,” “fame hunter,” “tree hugger,” “whale blubber,” “garlic butter,” and “Mark Zucker.”
“Dream crusher it is,” Rodrigo captioned the TikTok.
@livbedumb dream crusher it is
In May 2021, Rodrigo explained to Nylon why she didn’t hesitate to curse in her seminal smash, “Drivers License”:
“I’m very aware of that classic ‘Disney pop girl’ archetype. My music is definitely separate from my acting in a way I always dreamed would happen. When ‘Drivers License’ came out, everyone was like, ‘I have no idea who this Olivia Rodrigo girl is, but I love this song.’ That is the absolute dream for me, because I’ve always wanted to be taken seriously as a songwriter. Being an actor can interfere with that, just because being an actor is based on telling lies, and being a songwriter is based on telling the absolute, whole truth.
And people always ask me, ‘Oh, did you say f*ck in ‘Drivers License’ to show that you aren’t just a Disney star?’ It’s cool that people might think that, but I’m just making music that I love and that I feel passionate about. It’s who I am. I have a dirty mouth. It was what felt natural and good to me, and people resonated with that. If I am ushering in a new generation of pop stars that aren’t afraid to speak their mind, that’s so cool. I’m just doing my thing, though.”
Guts is out 9/8 via Geffen Records. Find more information here.