Olivia Rodrigo is entering her sophomore album era, and there’s unsurprisingly a lot of expectation and pressure on what’s coming next following the success of her GRAMMY award winning debut, “SOUR”. She’s revealed that its follow-up “GUTS” will be unveiled in its emotional glory on September 8, but to tease it into the world she’s dropped the cinematic lead single.

“vampire” kicks off where “SOUR” left off. The moody ballad is deeply rooted in her impeccable songwriting. It’s poignant and honest with a hint of nostalgia and maturity of how much she’s grown since her debut. Reflecting on a boy who took advantage of her and ultimately used her for her fame and platform, she uses the metaphor of a vampire to reflect the way he sucked the life and power out of her for his own gain. “I used to think I was smart, but you made me look so naive. The way you sold me for parts, as you sunk your teeth into me. Oh, bloodsucker, fame fucker, bleedin’ me dry like a goddamn vampire” she sings during the vivid chorus. And the song also features some classic Oliva Rodrigo styled lyrics like “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”, which will immediately become a fan favourite. 

The song begins in predictable Oliva piano ballad mode, but as she glides through the first chorus a beat comes in and transforms the entire song. Continually building through its duration, it reaches its cinematic climax during the bridge with guitar, drums and swooping strings, and then abruptly ends with her quivering soft vocals leaving your heart racing and ready for another listen. 

“vampire” is an incredible opening of a new chapter for Olivia Rodrigo. There is a lot of expectation for what’s to come, and she’s already proving that we have nothing to worry about, and that she’s going to keep having us deep in our feelings over and over again.