Olivia Rodrigo nearly replaced the lyric “fame f***er” from ‘vampire’.
The ‘good 4 u’ hitmaker has revealed there was a “debate” over whether or not the word “fame” is relatable to her audience, however, she explained that it’s not really about fame and has a “universal” meaning about being manipulated and sucked dry by someone.
Speaking on ‘The Julia Show’ on Audacy, she said: “It was actually a debate if ‘fame f***er’ should be in the song. Some people said, ‘It kind of isolates you from people, you can’t really say things like that in song, it’s not relatable,’ yada, yada, yada.”
She continued: “I totally get and saw where they were coming from, but eventually we decided to keep it in.
“I think the song isn’t about fame f***ing — I think it’s more about someone being manipulative and sucking you dry, using you for all you’re worth.”
Olivia added: “I think that’s a universal theme, and I also think fame is more easily accessible now than it has ever been.
“It’s not just people in LA and Hollywood that have to deal with that.”
Writing ‘vampire’ was an “out-of-body experience” for the Grammy winner.
The 20-year-old singer’s first single from her upcoming album ‘GUTS’ was produced by and co-written with Daniel Nigro, who she worked with on her 2021 album ‘Sour‘, and Olivia revealed that the song was inspired by her own feelings.
She said: “I was upset about a certain situation and went to the studio alone and sat down at the grand piano, and the chords and melody and lyrics just poured out of me — almost like an out-of-body experience.
“It’s a song about feeling confused and hurt, and at first I thought it was meant to be a piano ballad. But when Dan and I started working on it, we juxtaposed the lyrics with these big drums and crazy tempo changes. So now it’s like a heartbreak song you can dance to.”
Olivia previously revealed she relished getting to “express those feelings of rage and dirty s*** and messing s*** up” on ‘vampire’.
The ‘drivers license’ hitmaker doesn’t hold back on the furious single as she rips into an ex-lover and she loved every second of getting to air her anger.
Speaking to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, she said: “I think I listened to a lot of heavier stuff growing up and that’s what I’ve always been drawn to. But I think in my regular day-to-day life, I don’t get to express those feelings of rage and dirty s*** and messing s*** up.
“And I think in music, you have the freedom to express feelings that you don’t get to express in your everyday life. And so I think maybe that’s why I’m so drawn to this, because I don’t get to be messy every day in daily life and work.”