India Patton ‘30
Photo courtesy of Olivia Rodrigo - expectations (feat. Chappell Roan) music video
Like many Sarah Lawrence College (SLC) students, I can (and will) thunderously proclaim my absolute adoration of Chappell Roan and her artistry. I also love Olivia Rodrigo’s new album You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, and her pink Taco Bell Baja Blast collab.
So, when Rodrigo’s “expectations” remix with Roan dropped, I immediately threw my Baja Blast down on my desk and looked up the music video on YouTube.
I was blown away. From Roan’s verse on the song to the David Byrne feature, everything worked so well together to create a unique, campy, exciting song that I definitely needed to get me through the rest of this semester.
This is Roan’s first-ever official feature on another artist’s song, and it definitely does not disappoint. While the original song is well-loved, the addition of Roan’s style complements the song and the music video perfectly.
Her lyrics discuss a messy sapphic encounter with a sharp punchline about people from L.A. It's biting, it's funny and it matches Rodrigo’s original lyrics and meaning to create a new, more lesbian version of the song.
Roan’s musical voice itself pulls “expectations” into a more new-wave tone and style that reminds me of Blondie. Her singing and the song in general are a lot more synth-heavy than the original version; a nice change that makes her feature and voice on the song more prominent and interesting.
However this review would not be complete if I did not discuss the amazing, theatrical, campy music video that was released alongside the remix. Trust me, the only true way to enjoy this song to its full potential is to watch the music video
Directed by Bardia Zeinali, the video is themed as a vintage television game show. Most definitely a homage to 1980s maximalism and fashion culture; the fictional game host is Talking Heads frontman David Byrne.
Rodrigo and Roan appear as rival contestants on The Big Expectations Show — the format and aesthetic setup inspired by game shows such as Jeopardy! and Family Feud. If this musical video is anything, it is playful. It’s overlaid with 2D cartoon animations, is excessively bright and colorful and contains about a trillion easter eggs in the background of the video (don’t worry, I’ll let you discover them for yourself).
Both Rodrigo and Roan, who are also longtime friends, allow themselves to dance without embarrassment, be expressive and really embrace the eccentric, enthralling world they’ve designed. So, if you haven't listened to the remix yet or have seen the video, go look it up now. It’s unapologetically campy and fun, and who doesn't need more of that in their life?
I absolutely love that it exists, and I hope more Rodrigo-Roan collaborations continue to come in the future.
