Queer pop star Chappell Roan isn't shy about bringing the gay to a new version of Olivia Rodrigo's "expectations."
“Well, obviously, I love making things a little gay,” Roan told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe. She revealed how her perspective helped her write a new queer verse for Rodrigo's remix. “It was fun to just be like, girl vibes.” she said. “This is obviously [the] first feature I’ve ever done before,” said Roan. “It feels like the perfect [fit] for me.”
"She said she'd call me later," Roan sings."That was three weeks ago. Classic L.A. behavior."
"The verse is about being stood up and stuff," Roan said, adding that the story of her getting ghosted by a girl "was made up." But she added, "I was dating boys when I got ghosted."
Then, Rodrigo, who is Roan's IRL friend, spilled the tea on a very personal conversation they had recording that song.
“I have a vivid memory of being in the studio with you, Chappell, and we were trying to write the second verse, and I was telling you all of the crazy stuff that boys have done to me,” said Rodrigo. “And you’re like, ‘Oh my god, you need to start dating girls. This is crazy.'"
"It's just cool to have a queerness [element], I don't know if everyone would be down to have a fully queer verse on their song. That says a lot about your support," Roan added. "It feels very feminist to me but that is like so you."
Roan also complimented Rodrigo on the message the original song brought, even before adding her own lyric. "I I felt with this song, I was like, 'Wow it's so cool that she is putting a pretty difficult concept within a pop song.'" she said. “I was like, 'This is so real. Like, Damn, my expectations of people is so valid.'"
The music video for "expectations" has a retro 80's game show theme, and features David Byrne as the fictional host Johnny Johnson. Their producer Dan Nigro also makes an appearance.
Lowe noted Roan dug deep into her "wig cabinet" for the video as well. "I've been very into wigs and this video um let me explore that passion," she said.
As Rolling Stone reported, Roan recently headlined Rodrigo’s inaugural Daisy Chain Fields Festival, and Lowe mentioned in the interview that 100% of the profits went to charity: $10 million to 10 nonprofit organizations that advocate for women and girls.
"It was one of the most meaningful experiences of my whole life. And I'm not even just saying this because she's on the call, but having Chappell be there and perform, as you said, for zero profits, 100% of the profits going to charity." Rodrigo told Lowe. "It was really heartening and it really made me feel really proud to be a part of this artistic creative community that like cares about the world and cares about their audience."
Watch the music video below!
- YouTube youtu.be
