Olivia Rodrigo knows what her fans want. Instead of choosing just one of her stellar singles to perform on the VMAs stage, the pop star decided to do both, debuting a mash-up performance of “vampire” and “get him back!” for her Tuesday night VMAs performance.
The singer followed Lil Wayne as the second performer of the night and brought both songs to vibrant life with near-replica stage sets of both the songs’ music videos. Opening with “vampire” and dressed in a fitting blood-red two piece sports bra and pleated skirt set, she belted her heart out to the track before the curtain came crashing down a la the moody Petra Collins-directed music video. After a few pyrotechnic glitches that we aren’t sure were supposed to be intentional, Rodrigo immediately pivoted into a rowdy rendition of “get him back!” with a much more pared down stage. She was joined by a squadron of long haired brunette back-up dancers that were clearly casted because they all looked almost exactly like her, a clever DIY tactic to replicate the cloned vibes of the music video, which had just dropped hours earlier.
Of course, what every one actually cared about was whether of not she and Taylor Swift — whom she’s allegedly “feuding” with — would interact. Thanks to the VMAs cameras, we now have videographic evidence that all’s well between the two: when Rodrigo’s name was called, Swift very loudly cheered and clapped for her from the audience.
It’s was a big night for Rodrigo who’s up for six VMA awards including in top categories Video of the Year and Song of the Year, all for her single “vampire.”
The singer arrived on the VMAs pink carpet in a proper celebration look: a sparkling custom Ludovic de Saint Sernin gown embellished with 150,000 Swarovski crystals. She paired that with simple beauty and glam and what’s now become her signature look: sleek brown hair.
Rodrigo released her long-awaited sophomore album, GUTS, just days ago on Sept. 8 to immediate commercial and critical acclaim. The record scored a perfect 100 on Metacritic moments after release, though that’s since dropped to a still-high 91. The album has received praise for her impeccable, ultra-relatable songwriting and evolution into a more rock-leaning sound.
See clips from her performance below:
