Big Thief present their highly-anticipated new single, ‘Vampire Empire’, off their forthcoming ‘Vampire Empire’ / ‘Born For Loving You’ 7” out on 20th October.

+ Pre-order the 7" here +
+ Stream on all platforms here +

‘Vampire Empire’ is Big Thief’s most eagerly awaited song ever, with the non-album single taking on a life of its own as it became a live fan favourite. Coming off the back of a Grammy-nominated album and debuting on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, it’s already a viral anthem.  The television performance and hundreds of live performances of ‘Vampire Empire’ took TikTok by storm.  Recorded and produced by Dom Monks at Guissona, Spain’s Teatre de cal Eril Studio during a recent tour, ‘Vampire Empire’ speaks to the beautiful complexity of gender identity and breaking destructive internal cycles.

Of the song, Adrianne Lenker adds, “For me, it’s about getting out of toxic internal patterns – leaving the empire of energy drains that obscure pure essence, learning about what healthy boundaries are, and finding the power to implement them for the possibility of giving and receiving (both inwardly and outwardly) unbroken and infinite Love.”

Big Thief are currently embarking on a North American tour, including a coveted headline spot at Pitchfork Music Festival, as they continue to celebrate their landmark Grammy-nominated album Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You.  Big Thief’s guitarist Buck Meek will also be releasing his third solo album later this summer, via 4AD.

July
19th - Ulster Performing Arts Center, Kingston NY, US [SOLD OUT] ^
22nd - Pitchfork Music Festival 2023, Chicago IL, US
23rd - Nelsonville Music Festival 2023, Nelsonville OH, US
26th - Egyptian Room, Indianapolis IN, US ^
27th - The Stylee, Madison IN, US [SOLD OUT] ^
29th - Maha Music Festival, Omaha NE, US
31st - Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison CO, US *

August
3rd - Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, Canada [SOLD OUT] *
4th - McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater, Portland OR, US [SOLD OUT] *
5th - Marymoor Amphitheater, Seattle WA, US [SOLD OUT] *
8th - Greek Theatre Berkeley, Berkeley CA, US *
9th - Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Los Angeles CA, US [SOLD OUT] $

^ = w/ Nick Hakim
* = w/ Lucinda Williams
$ = w/ Bill Callahan

'Vampire Empire' Lyrics

Watching TV tired, bleeding on the bed
The milk has just expired, all the leaves are dead
I’m not quiet, you’ve been quiet, just receiving what you said
Reeling, feeding, feeling filled by everything you fed
I see you as you see yourself through all the books you read
Overwhelmed with guilt and realizing the disease

You give me chills
I’ve had it with the drills
I am nothing, you are nothing, we are nothing with the pills
I am empty ‘til she fills
Alive until she kills
In her vampire empire I am
Falling, yeah
Falling, yeah

I see you there rejecting all your earthly power
Protecting and dissecting ‘til you’ve emptied every hour
We jump into the pond then we come under the shower
You lay upon my pillow and you open like a flower
I wanted to see you naked, I wanted to hear you scream
Wanted to kiss your skin and your everything
I wanted to be your woman, I wanted to be your man
I wanted to be the one that you could understand

You give me chills
I’ve had it with the drills
I am nothing, you are nothing, we are nothing with the pills
I am empty ‘til she fills
Alive until she kills
In her vampire empire I am
Falling, yeah
Falling, yeah

Well, I walked into your dagger for the last time
It’s like trying to start a fire with matches in the snow
Where You can’t seem to hold me, can’t seem to let me go
So I can’t find surrender, and I can’t keep control
You turn me inside out and then you want the outside in
You spin me all around and then you ask me not to spin
You say you wanna be alone and you want children
You wanna be with me, you wanna be with him

You give me chills
I’ve had it with the drills
I am nothing, you are nothing, we are nothing with the pills
I am empty ‘til she fills
Alive until she kills
In her vampire empire I am
Falling, yeah
Falling, yeah