Music

“It’s very nerve-racking,” Olivia Rodrigo tells Billboard during a call a few days before the release of her new single, “Vampire.” But also, she admits, “I haven’t put out music in, what, two years now?”

Two years, one month and nine days, to be exact: with 2021 debut album Sour, Rodrigo ascended to superstardom and capitalized on the Billboard Hot 100-topping enormity of its lead single, the brilliant breakup ballad “Drivers License.” A pastiche of pop-punk flare-ups, bedroom-pop ruminations and crunchy alternative, Sour led to a best new artist Grammy win, a sold-out 2022 headlining tour, a documentary and a prom-themed concert film… but zero new music from Rodrigo since its release, save for a few previously recorded tunes from her role on the DIsney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.

Rather amazingly, all 11 songs on Sour have peaked within the top 30 of the Hot 100 — but they haven’t been followed by any bonus tracks, guest features or stopgap songs. No wonder “Vampire,” the lead single to Rodrigo’s forthcoming sophomore album GUTS (due out Sept. 8 on Geffen Records), is arguably the most anticipated new single of the year.

Created with her main Sour collaborator, writer-producer Daniel Nigro, “Vampire” begins as a betrayal-strewn piano ballad in the vein of “Drivers License,” but then busts open into a pop-rock epic full of jittery percussion and wounded, dramatic vocal runs — something like My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade, refracted through a generation raised on Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey. “Vampire” represents a go-for-the-gusto pop statement that both pushes Rodrigo’s songwriting forward while also providing plenty for Sour fans. It sounds purposely huge, and like it’s about to be inescapable.

“Putting out a new song is a little bit daunting, but ultimately really exciting,” Rodrigo says. “I just feel really lucky to have so much support coming from all angles.” Below, Rodrigo explains how the song became her new single, and the period of growth she experienced since Sour that will inform GUTS. (Ed. note: this interview has been edited for clarity.)

How did “Vampire” come together?

I wrote it on the piano, the original version, in December of last year, and I really liked it. I remember writing it and feeling like something special was there. And I took it to my producer Dan, and we finished it up together and rewrote some things and produced it. It was quite a long production — it’s pretty lush, so it took us a while. But I’m really happy with the way it came out.

I love how the song opens up after the first chorus into this huge, multi-part, theatrical statement. At what point did it become obvious that this would be the lead single?

We always said that it was kind of our version of a rock opera. [Laughs.] I think as the album was coming together, we were coming up with a bunch of songs that we really liked, but this one always stuck out to me as something that I felt like was honoring my singer-songwriter roots, but felt like an evolution — in a good way that wasn’t too stark. And so I really liked it for that, and it was always one of my favorites.

I’m curious about the messaging of the song — your take on someone using you, and leeching off of your fame. Where did those themes come from? Had they been rattling around in your mind for a while?

I think it’s just a song about feeling used, and all of the anger and regret and heartbreak that comes with it. 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 — it’s kind of an angry song, and I think I have a lot of trouble expressing feelings like anger and regret, those are particularly tough ones for me to express. I go to songwriting to get those feelings out that aren’t super comfortable to express in everyday life. So it was a very therapeutic experience, writing this song.

It’s hard to imagine how cathartic this one is going to feel for you when you first perform it live.

Oh my gosh, I’m so excited. I’m really excited for the live show — I feel like the album is shaping up to be a really fun set.

You’ve spoken recently about the incredible growth you’ve experienced over the past two years — this whirlwind that included Sour, touring, the Grammys, traveling, now writing again. When you look back on the past two years, what was the most surprising part, something that the Olivia of two years ago never would have expected?

I mean, the Olivia of two years ago definitely wouldn’t have expected her career to do all the crazy, wonderful things that it did so quickly, and I’m very grateful for that. I’ve changed so much in the past few years. All that crazy stuff happened in my career — “Drivers License” came out and it broke all these records, and I was lucky enough to win some Grammys, which was a huge dream of mine ever since I can remember.

But I think the most change I’ve felt was just in Olivia as a girl — growing up and changing from being a teenager to a 20-year-old. All of the maturing and figuring yourself out, that’s just on a normal human-to-human level — I think that was the most surprising thing for me.

Is the pressure you’re feeling ahead of this single release significantly different than what you were feeling ahead of “Drivers License” or Sour?

Totally. It’s definitely a different feeling, and it felt different making this album too. I mean, it’s a lot of pressure. I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t feel that. But I think I got to a place throughout making the record where I really shifted my perspective from being like, “Oh, we have to make something that’s gonna impress everyone, and beat the last one!” All of this was just swimming in my head, and I wasn’t writing songs that I resonated with. It wasn’t productive, and conducive to good work.

And so I had to shift my perspective into just trying to make music that I would like to hear on the radio, and once I did that, things started flowing a little easier. So I just try to maintain that that perspective.

How indicative is “Vampire” of the sound of the rest of the album?

I actually feel like the album is really, incredibly diverse. There are other kinds of ballads — I guess I consider “Vampire” a ballad on the record — but yeah, I don’t know! It’s all pretty different.

With “Drivers License,” you translated this painful personal moment into something relatable for a wide audience. Now that you’re at the top of that roller coaster again with this lead single and ready to rush down, how does it feel to be sharing this new piece of yourself?

I mean, not gonna lie, it’s pretty scary! I was definitely a little more dauntless last time with “Drivers License,” because I had no idea that anyone would listen to it – but it’s scary to think about putting a song out into the world that’s vulnerable and represents painful feelings for you.

I’m just trying to not think about it, to keep my head down and do all the work. Everything else is out of my control. It’s kind of nice to give it to people, and then it’s not yours anymore. It’s a beautiful thing! So I’m just trying to remember that.