Why Olivia Rodrigo Refused to Cut ‘Fame F–ker’ Lyric From ‘Vampire’: ‘It Was Actually a Debate’

usmagazine.com:

We’re all belting Olivia Rodrigo‘s “Vampire” now, but the singer revealed her new song almost had a very different lyric.“It was actually a debate whether or not ‘fame f–ker’ should be in the song,” Rodrigo, 20, told Audacy Check In on Thursday, July 13.

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, which I totally get and saw where they were coming from.”In the chorus of her latest single, released last month, the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series alum sings, “But you made me look so naive / The way you sold me for parts / As you sunk your teeth into me, oh / Bloodsucker, fame f–ker / Bleedin’ me dry like a goddamn vampire.”Though she had a successful career as a child actor, Rodrigo’s fame has increased exponentially since her first single, “Driver’s License,” was released in January 2021.

Singing about driving past an ex’s house is a little more universal than a dating a fame-seeker. However, Rodrigo expects her listeners are smart enough to understand that the song is about more than that one line.“I think the song isn’t about fame f–king, I think it’s more about someone being manipulative and sucking you dry, using you for all your worth,” she shared. “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 L.A. and Hollywood that have to deal with that.”While “fame f–ker” is in the explicit version, she belts “dream crusher” in the radio-friendly edit.