Three-time GRAMMY winner Olivia Rodrigo is back with another emotional knife twist. On June 30, she released "vampire," a bloody good time from her hotly anticipated second album, Guts, out Sept. 8 via Geffen Records.
A self-described "dynamics girl," Rodrigo has co-penned another quiet-loud banger, but one that sinks its teeth ever deeper. "I should've known it was strange you only come out at night," she sings, before bursting into an unforgettable chorus: "Bloodsucker/Fame-f—er/Bleeding me dry like a goddamn vampire."
"We always said that it was kind of our version of a rock opera," Rodrigo told Billboard of the song's conception. "I think it's just a song about feeling used, and all of the anger and regret and heartbreak that comes with it."
In the video, an inert Rodrigo seems to rise, reanimated, only to bum-rush a music awards show that bursts into flames. From there, a police chase ensues, as she's in crisis, spattered in gore — reflecting whatever traumatic experience fueled "vampire."
Rodrigo shared her feelings about Guts on Instagram, saying "I am so proud of this record and I can't wait to share it with you all!" In the same post, the singer unveiled the album's cover art — including Rodrigo's rings that spell G-U-T-S on her right hand.
CD and 7" single versions of "Vampire" will feature a demo version as a B-side, marked "first demo." On the cover of the single, Rodrigo has lavender bandages on her neck, the color nodding to the covers of both Guts and her GRAMMY-winning debut, SOUR.
“Vampire” marks Rodrigo’s first single since SOUR, which Rodrigo released in May 2021. SOUR — and particularly its lead single, “drivers license” — broke records upon its release and rocketed Rodrigo into the pop stratosphere.
Read More: The Meteoric Rise Of Olivia Rodrigo: How The "Drivers License" Singer Became Gen Z's Queen of Pop
At the 2022 GRAMMYs, she was nominated for seven golden gramophones, including Album Of The Year. Rodrigo won three: Best New Artist, Best Pop Solo Performance for "drivers license" and Best Pop Vocal Album for SOUR.
Despite a hint that her follow-up would be "a lot happier" than SOUR, "vampire" is one of the most deliciously vengeful moments in her discography — one leaden with vampire lore all but guaranteed to enrapture the internet the way her debut single did two years ago.
Enjoy the blood-spattered, infectious video for "vampire" above, and keep checking back to GRAMMY.com for more news about everything Olivia Rodrigo and Guts!
