Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire” Lyrics Call Out A Mysterious “Bloodsucker”

Olivia Rodrigo appears to have the guts to call out the people who have wronged her. On June 30, the Grammy winner unveiled her new song “vampire,” the lead single off her upcoming sophomore album GUTS. The track builds on the indie-inspired vein of her debut album SOUR, starting out as a classic piano ballad before growing into an alt-rock stomper, leading into one of Rodrigo’s most cathartic bridges to date. But lyrically, it’s sure to become just as much of a heartbreak classic as her breakout single “drivers license.”

On “vampire,” Rodrigo calls out an ex who seemingly used their relationship for their own gain, likening them to a fame-hungry, energy-sucking vampire. But instead of naming names, she simply calls them “bloodsucker” and “fame-f*cker” in the main hook, which might cut even deeper. Rodrigo sings about suffering “six months of torture” and ignoring warnings that her ex was “bad, bad news” from other girls. “You called them crazy, God I hate the way I called them crazy too,” she sings. “You're so convincing, how do you lie without flinching?”

The 20-year-old singer also alludes to being taken advantage of due to her age, singing, “Went for me and not her ‘cause girls your age know better.” Naturally, there are some classic vampire stereotypes written into the song, nodding to how her ex “only comes out at night” and “sunk your teeth into me.” However, in the new “vampire” music video, the references to those creatures are much more subtle.

The new clip, which was helmed by her “good 4 u” director Petra Collins, sees Rodrigo singing the ballad portion of “vampire” in a field of flowers before getting hit by a lighting rig, revealing that she’s actually performing at an awards show. After getting chased down, a metaphor for how vampires are shunned by society, she simply levitates above Los Angeles streets as she closes out the song.

In an Instagram post, Rodrigo shared how creating “vampire” with longtime producer Dan Nigro helped her navigate a tumultuous time in her life. “Writing this song helped me sort through lots of feelings of regret, anger, and heartache,” she wrote, calling it “one of my favorite songs on the album.” She continued to open up about the emotions that led to her writing “vampire” in new interviews. “I think it’s just a song about feeling used, and all of the anger and regret and heartbreak that comes with it,” she 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.”

“Vampire” was also partially inspired by Twilight, one of the most famous vampire stories to ever be told. Rodrigo slyly incorporated the film saga into some of the promotional materials for her new single, but her fandom transcends the “vampire” era. “I would post about Twilight even if I didn’t have a song called ‘vampire,’” she quipped to Rolling Stone.

Read the full “vampire” lyrics below.

Hate to give the satisfaction asking how you're doing now

How's the castle built off people you pretend to care about?

Just what you wanted

Look at you, cool guy, you got it

I see the parties and the diamonds sometimes when I close my eyes

Six months of torture you sold as some forbidden paradise

I loved you truly

You gotta laugh at the stupidity

'Cause I've made some real big mistakes, but you make the worst one look fine

I should've known it was strange, you only come out at night

I used to think I was smart but you made me look so naïve

The way you sold me for parts as you sunk your teeth into me, oh

Bloodsucker, famef*cker

Bleeding me dry like a goddamn vampire

Every girl I ever talked to told me you were bad, bad news

You called them crazy, God I hate the way I called them crazy too

You're so convincing

How do you lie without flinching? (How do you lie, how do you lie, how do you lie?)

Oh, what a mesmerizing, paralyzing, f*cked up little thrill

Can't figure out just how you do it and God knows I never will

Went for me and not her

‘Cause girls your age know better

I've made some real big mistakes, but you make the worst one look fine

I should've known it was strange, you only come out at night

I used to think I was smart but you made me look so naïve

The way you sold me for parts as you sunk your teeth into me, oh

Bloodsucker, famef*cker

Bleeding me dry like a goddamn vampire

You said it was true love

But wouldn't that be hard?

You can't love anyone

‘Cause that would mean you had a heart

I tried to help you out

Now I know that I can't

‘Cause how you think's the kind of thing I'll never understand

I've made some real big mistakes, but you make the worst one look fine

I should've known it was strange, you only come out at night

I used to think I was smart but you made me look so naïve

The way you sold me for parts as you sunk your teeth into me, oh

Bloodsucker, famef*cker

Bleeding me dry like a goddamn vampire