Jumping off the success of her sold out world tour, the pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo has released the first single, ‘vampire’, off her sophomore album, GUTS. The three time GRAMMY award winner has amassed a loyal fanbase through the popularity of her iconic heartbreak album, SOUR, and the huge expectations that come with superstardom. Her previous tracks ‘drivers licence’ and ‘deja vu’ resonated with teenagers across the globe landing her album at the coveted number one spot in a variety of countries. Fans are eager to find out what direction Rodrigo has gone in for GUTS and whether it will hold up against the anthemic tracks of SOUR.
‘vampire’ opens with a melodic piano instrumental, similar to those that can be frequently heard on SOUR. The stripped backed nature of the first verse allows listeners to be wowed by Rodrigo’s impressive vocals. ‘vampire’ allows Rodrigo to once again prove that her voice is the stand out factor of her tracks with her ability to convey extreme emotions through her singing alone.
The slow introduction of eerie synths throughout the first chorus provides Rodrigo with an emotional climax for her to belt heartfelt lyrics: “As you sunk your teeth into me, oh / Bloodsucker, famefucker / Bleedin’ me dry like a goddamn vampire”. For any listener that has been through an exploitative relationship akin to Rodrigo’s, the lyrics to ‘vampire’ will be incredibly cathartic to shout along to.
The almost EDM-esque drum track that is brought into the second verse can be disarming but when paired with Rodrigo’s verging on spoken word lyricism, it perfectly conveys the anger she feels at missing the warning signs in her relationship: “And every girl I ever talked to told me you were bad, bad news / You called them crazy, God, I hate the way I called ‘em crazy too / You’re so convincing / How do you lie without flinching”.
The seamless transition from heartbreak ballad into theatrical jewel of a track may go unnoticed upon first listen owing to the tracks masterful production. Whilst many may argue that ‘vampire’ employs a similar sound to what can be heard on SOUR, possibly due to her continued collaboration with producer Daniel Nigro, her growth is still evident. ‘vampire’ acts as an interesting insight into the path that GUTS may take, which seems to be a version of SOUR but with added maturity.
Olivia Rodrigo has once again proved herself as the master of heartbreak anthems. The all-too-relatable lyrics paired with the touching piano instrumental and Rodrigo’s exceptional vocals make ‘vampire’ a worthy comeback for the young popstar. If the rest of GUTS mirrors Olivia Rodrigo’s growth as both an artist and person that is found in ‘vampire’, the record will surely be a contender for album of the year.
Words by Amy Britton
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