Olivia Rodrigo just released the first single Vampire off her sophomore album Guts and I finally had the pleasure of giving it a listen.
Am I a “Livie?”
First things first, music is subjective and I will preface my response to Vampire with the following.
I will admit, while I can appreciate the raw talent and passion behind Olivia Rodrigo’s budding music career, songs in her discography thus far have been a bit hit and miss for me, personally.
But arguably, they should be.
I’m in my 30s. So, naturally not all of Olivia's music is going to directly resonate on a personal level, or reach me the way other artists my age have over the years. I do, however, absolutely keep an open mind to younger artists. I don’t ever write them off due to age or experience level alone, as I absolutely believe younger artists can absolutely have mass appeal to the general populace.
I think Olivia is extremely talented. I just also think it’s a healthy thing to realize your own biases and how that might sway your opinion of something when you’re not necessarily someone’s core target demographic. (And even if you are, it's ok not to like something if you simply just...don't.)
Bottom line is that Olivia is writing about what’s relevant and fitting to her as someone leaving her late teens entering her early twenties and that’s exactly where she should be in her song writing. While this may have some sway in how I feel about or relate to her music, I can still appreciate her for all she's contributing to pop music and pop culture at the moment.
I Can Smell the Nostalgia from Here!
While I appreciate songs like Driver’s License for what they are–a showcase of Olivia’s vocal chops and storytelling talent, I preferred more of what felt inherently nostalgic for me off of her debut album, Sour.
Songs like Brutal and Good 4 U were instant favorites (I know this was felt by many fellow millennials). Feeling like something off of an angsty teen movie of the late 90s/Y2K era, these tracks were instant bangers in my mind (I mean, I could totally see “Brutal” replacing a track or two on 10 Things I Hate About You seamlessly).
Speaking of Olivia’s edgier tracks, there’s a camp of us hoping she would lean further into that sound overall on her next record. Sour really displayed a lot of potential, but mostly seemed to focus on ballads.
However, her cheeky little pop/rock moments with Brutal and Good 4 U were reminiscent of Paramore and Avril Lavigne–a sector of pop music not many young female artists are directly venturing into at the moment. Though Olivia has been relentlessly compared to Taylor Swift, I think she could fill a very unique niche if she continues to veer away from more traditional pop and keep exploring the more rock-based, grittier sound that millennials miss and gen Z seems to crave.
With Vampire beginning like a ballad and picking up tempo as it crosses into its first chorus, the song is a great summary of what an Olivia Rodrigo track sounds like at this point in her career. It’s elevated from Sour, but still similar enough to be recognizable as *Olivia* right from the start. Vampire really combines the belting power of her ballads with the edge of Sour’s pop rock tracks and I love it.
While Sour was impressive for her first studio album, especially at her age and experience level as a songwriter, it was hit and miss for me as a full body of work. However, listening to Vampire makes me even more excited to see where she goes next with Guts, especially given its eccentric name.
“I know what you are,” “Then say it, OUT LOUD,” “A cliche in modern Hollywood!”
If I’m being fully transparent, I was a little apprehensive upon my first listen, based on the title alone. I entered my early twenties in the wake of Twilight and Vampire Diaries and, ever since then, we’ve sort of viewed all things vampire with a snark and satire.
Due to the success of these two pieces of media, vampire everything was thrown at us in the
late 2000's/early 2010's by anyone looking to make a cash grab (as pop culture is want to do). What was once the subject of fascination, and YA lust, quickly became the next big joke as we rolled our eyes and groaned at the thought of fangs, immortality and skin that sparkled in the sunlight.
But, history repeats. Vampires have been around in lore for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, and are a staple of fantasy and folklore. The question is: for pop culture, has enough time passed for us to embrace a vampire reference once more...un-ironically?
Vampire: The Song, The Video, The…Catchy Smash Hit?
Getting into the song itself, the imagery from the first verse really sets the scene. We get the sense that a social climber has done Olivia dirty, and while she can still recall the glitz and glamour that swept her up initially, she has regrets for how it all came crashing down (like that unfortunate incident in her music video…but we’ll get to that later!)
I’ll be honest, I’m so torn about castle metaphors at this point. (I know… and I swear I AM feeling ok).
I think it’s used well here, at least, I just feel like we’ve been seeing it everywhere in pop music the last couple of years, and I don’t want them to get completely worn out! My hope for the future is that after Taylor releases “Castles Crumbling,” we can retire this motif, (like an TRL countdown video) for a little bit and come up with something fresh.
Where we really get the tea is the first chorus. As expected, the vampire motif is strong throughout but again, I think it’s done well. I especially love the notion that someone “only comes out at night.”
I think this could be interpreted one of two ways: even though it might seem counterintuitive– this person is a “fair weather friend.” They only appear when it’s favorable for them, or they’ll benefit or thrive in a given set of ideal circumstances. The rest of the time, they're no where to be seen, even in a time of need.
Secondly, “only coming out at night” comes across as secretive and/or predatory. Again, someone has something to gain from being extremely particular about how and when they want to be seen or come around. This denotes a sense of shamefulness or shadiness consistent with their actions or intentions.
Either way: HUGE red flag. And great use of the figure of speech.
The line about selling her for parts is also a great depiction of how it feels to be cut down by someone you trusted and fully taken advantage of. It also says a lot about how this person didn't value her worth as a whole. Typically, when something is sold for parts, it's lost all value its entirety (think a used car). To feel as though someone sees you this way is extremely devastating and degrading.
“Blood Sucker, Fame F*cker, bleeding me dry like a G*ddamn Vampire.”
Of course this really drives home the notion that the person Olivia sings about is not only a social climber, but also a clout chaser that undermines the dreams, aspirations and success of others, in order to benefit their own. (This can be further noted in the alternate clean version where she sings “Blood sucker, dream crusher.”)
A quick side note: I’m all for the girlies cursing often and in public. They had to fight for their right to party, and I respect that. However, I’m sort of in a place where I don’t really care about the swearing as much either way. It’s an indifference that I’ve been experiencing for a while, and I figured I would just throw it out there as another personal bias.
I think artists should incorporate explicit language where they see fit, but I do feel it’s quickly lost its shock value (and yes, I do think buzz-worthy curse words are absolutely as much about shock value as art, at least initially).
I feel like if explicit language is there and it works for the song great! But a well written clean version works wonderfully too. I’m just glad for artists like Taylor and Olivia (who would have been raked over the coals or canceled by pearl clutching purists in the past) that they get to use ALL of their words to express themselves and have that be generally embraced.
The second verse really gets into the meat of the manipulation that Olivia’s feeling, as she was gaslit into believing that this person wasn’t the problem–it was always the girls they get involved with.
This reminds me of the classic “not like other girls” trope, but more in the way that women are lead to believe we have this one specific superpower: and that is the ability to change a man. If we’re the rare gem that can come along and speak to the heart and soul of any given ne’re do well, he’ll suddenly change his ways. He always had it in him…he just needed the right muse. You could be that muse!
I do love a good fable.
What I can really appreciate about this verse is that Olivia seems truly remorseful about being conned by this manipulator, and shares in some of the blame of calling other women “crazy” because they couldn’t make it with this guy (alas, neither could she).
Olivia now realizes that pulling off this type of con is just a “mesmerizing, paralyzing, f*cked up little thrill” for this guy, and her mind is blown by the level of manipulation she let herself fall victim to at his hand.
She continues on to sing about a notable age gap that we see, all too often, become extremely problematic in younger couples (Dear John, anyone?).
The second chorus repeats the first, and I'd like to discuss the “worst mistake” concept that kicks it off each time.
Again, a touch cliche, as many consider failed relationships to be “mistakes” and use that terminology frequently in lyrics, song titles etc. Alas, deeply caring and empathic people really do put so much of themselves into one-sided relationships (romantic or otherwise) that only suck them dry and leave them feeling used and vulnerable. I get how this outcome would feel like someone's worst mistake (perhaps not leaving sooner, if not avoiding the situation altogether).
The bridge is simple, yet effective.
Noting that the person who broke hers has no heart of his own to speak of, keeps the consistency with the Vampire motif well, despite this being another minor cliche.
I think the last two lines of the bridge are especially noteworthy, as Olivia comes to the conclusion that there is no changing this person. She realizes she can’t even get a grasp on the inner workings of their mind firmly enough to fathom how they even operate on such a depraved level. This realization is so key to overcoming the "I can change him" mentality. Someone's mindset is a deeply rooted framework that is extremely difficult to change on a fundamental level. The sooner this realization occurs that they're on completely different wavelengths, the better.
Lights, Camera, Set Malfunction!
I did my first listen through via Spotify, and then quickly turned my attention to the music video via YouTube.
First thoughts: she looks stinking GORGEOUS. Olivia has all of the classic beauty of old Hollywood whilst also embodying a modern edge.
I really liked the haunting, spooky vibes from her set and the vintage mic. I loved the fourth wall break and how she ended up being in a performance type situation. Music videos like that always make things feel so meta, and I think that’s fun.
I will say, from there, the video kind of lost me a bit.
Olivia is injured when a piece of her set falls on top of her (anyone remember when this happened to poor Britney Spears on the Oops! Music video set IRL?!).
Then a group surrounds her with cameras. I gathered Olivia was being chased by paparazzi who were potentially taking the role of the “blood suckers” in this case, as her injuries left her visibly bloodied.
Olivia is then chased out of the venue and into the city streets where she then starts…levitating? I think? Is this a nod to the idea that once you’re bitten you become a vampire yourself? I feel like I was able to kind of get there but I don’t know if I wholly feel like this landed. Maybe it’s just me?
I didn't see any other physical changes to her (fangs, skin color or texture, eye color or characteristics etc. and I'm wondering if that was done purposefully to avoid the mega-cliches I addressed earlier).
Despite a few minor cliches and the potentially overused vampire motif, I really do enjoy this single, and its video. I think it’s proof that if you take enough concepts we’ve seen before but rearrange them nicely into a unique package it can still be enjoyable, and effective, and still feel like something new and authentic.
Final Thoughts:
It’s catchy and it grew on me. I was honestly lukewarm about Vampire at first go–but then, I typically am a bit passive with new music, as I like to let it ruminate if it doesn’t immediately go off for me. I think this is because I have a tendency to really get deep with songs that I love that either move me sonically or lyrically (or both). Some music just needs time.
I know my fellow “music people” will agree: there are instant bangers and there are growers. Vampire was the latter for me.
All I know is, despite the myriad of unnecessary comparisons, Olivia has developed at least one of Taylor’s songwriting skills beautifully–the ability to write melodies that insidiously creep into your head and take up residency there until you give the song a few more listens. You just return to it days later, and vibe.
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