Olivia Rodrigo is taking advantage of the intrigue surrounding whom she might or might not be dating since her “Drivers License” debut and its subsequent Joshua Bassett discourse. The rollout for Guts, her upcoming sophomore album, has so far included “Vampire” and “Bad Idea Right?” The former debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the latter has fans in a chokehold less than 24 hours after arriving.
The “Bad Idea Right?” video, directed by Petra Collins, appeared to reference Glee and Euphoria. In it, Rodrigo receives a call from a contact saved as “LOSER NOT WORTH MENTIONING” while getting ready for a night out with her friends.
She knows intellectually that she should ignore her ex’s attempts to reconnect, but her emotional resistance is another story. The immersive visual matches the song’s enticing lyrics, such as “Seeing you tonight / It’s a bad idea, right? / Seeing you tonight / F*ck it, it’s fine.” After choosing to indulge, she keeps it to herself (“And I told my friends I was asleep / But I never said where or in whose sheets”) and tries to forget about it (“Thoughts / Blah”).
bad idea right? is out everywhere!!!! I had such a fun time making this song with @TheDanielNigro & i had a ball making the music video with @petracollins @madisonhu @tatemcrae & iris apatow. u can listen and watch now!!!!!
https://t.co/UJGGaXlSPW pic.twitter.com/L3dYrfRqos
— Olivia Rodrigo (@oliviarodrigo) August 11, 2023
As with “Vampire,” everybody wants to know who “Bad Idea Right?” is about. Rodrigo’s official statement about the song doesn’t give anything away.
“‘Bad Idea Right?’ started with us making a joke song about me hooking up with an ex-boyfriend, but then we realized we were actually onto something,” she said. “We were throwing the weirdest things at the wall — in one of the choruses there’s a part that sounds like an instrument in the background, but it’s me gradually screaming louder and louder.”
Rodrigo egged on the speculation about the subject of “Vampire” by joking that it’s Jake Shane in a TikTok with him lipsyncing a scene from Euphoria.
The leading candidates in the Olivia Rodrigo’s Alleged Exes Clubhouse are Adam Faze and Zack Bia, but there is no confirmation (yet) that either is the inspiration behind “Vampire,” “Bad Idea Right?,” or Guts as a whole. In fact, an unnamed insider exclusively told People that “Vampire” is not about Faze.
Watch the “Bad Idea Right?” video above.
Guts is out 9/8 via Geffen. Find more information here.