Tracy Chapman to perform lesbian anthem 'Fast Car' at the Grammys with Luke Combs

Tracy Chapman is headed back to the stage, scheduled to perform her 1988 lesbian anthem “Fast Car” alongside Luke Combs at the Grammys this weekend.

Combs had initially been slated to perform his cover of the song, which became a surprise success last year when it hit #1 on both the adult pop and country Billboard charts for two weeks, solo at the ceremony. ButVariety broke the news this week that sources claimed Chapman would be making a rare public appearance to turn that “Fast Car” solo into a duet.

Although the song isn’t explicitly queer, it’s long been considered a lesbian anthem — and a particularly iconic one considering it was already being read that way in the late ‘80s and ‘90s.

That “Fast Car” is now being revitalized through country music — voiced by a straight white man — is a fascinating turn, to say the least. It even wound up winning song of the year at the Country Music Association Awards — making Chapman, as the songwriter, the first Black person to ever win in the category.

And now her upcoming appearance alongside Combs at the Grammys comes as just as much of a surprise as the cover’s initial success. As Variety notes, Chapman last toured back in 2009, with only a handful of performances in the years between then and now, with nothing to suggest the rise of “Fast Car” back into popular consciousness is going to change that.

But if you’re going to come back for one performance, hitting up the Grammys to see your song finally get its due 36 years after its release seems like the way to do it.