MC's Music Lounge: Chappell Roan give Olivia Rodrigo's "expectations instant queer anthem status with new verse

Olivia Rodrigo is giving her third album the kind of love and attention that pop music fans dream for their favourite artist to do. In the age of streaming, most cycles die out relatively quickly once the album has been released. But we are now four months into the release of you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, and the momentum hasn’t slowed down. She is keeping that goodwill going with the release of the album’s fourth single “expectations” complete with a new music video and remix with some help from Chappell Roan.

Olivia and Chappell have been in each other’s stories for a few years now so this collaboration makes so much sense. Chappell was one of the opening acts on Olivia’s previous GUTS world tour in 2024, just before her own music blew up in the mainstream. She was featured in the concert film for said tour and continuously sends her praises Olivia’s way. She also just last August took part in the inaugural Daisy Chain Fields festival, helping Olivia make history for women in music. Both ladies were featured on the cover for the special digital edition of Rolling Stone which honoured the festival and Olivia’s efforts.

Olivia is currently in the midst of her Unraveled World Tour in support of the album with shows across North America and Europe scheduled into spring of next year. The high-energy show has been taking over the streets of every city that it visits. The songs on you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love translate immaculately to a live stage setting and a group singalong. Plus, with this being the third world tour for Olivia, her stage presence has hit a new peak and the reviews for the shows are some of the most glowing she has ever received.

The release of “expectations” as a single also comes just in time for Grammy voting. Olivia has submitted for consideration in 10 different categories, and is even on the cover of Billboard Magazine’s special issue sent exclusively to Grammy voters. She also has covered The Hollywood Reporter with an in-depth interview. Could this single release be her label’s way of heating up the conversation around Olivia so she ends up with a slew of nominations? In my eyes, those nominations are already a given but some bonus positive press surrounding the album cycle as a whole can’t hurt.

Next week, LISA releases her new EP Press Play. She recently performed its lead single “SaWaDiKa” at the VMAs. This week, we have collaborations from Olivia Rodrigo with Chappell Roan, and Zach Bryan with Lana Del Rey. Plus, Snoh Aalegra, Angèle, Fireboy DML and a viral pick from Harry Styles that will be played at weddings for the foreseeable future.

Listen on…

MC’s PICKS OF THE WEEK

“expectations” by Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan

The already viral “expectations” gets a facelift with a new feature verse from the one and only Chappell Roan. Chappell has been quiet on the music front in 2026 with this being her first (and assuming her only) release this year. The music video is very fun and features animated versions of the girls as well as a flamboyant game show setting. Chappell’s verse gives the song an instant queer anthem status, specifically with her changing the gender in the verses to reflect a woman. I know that many queer fans will see themselves in that change, it’s something I know I looked for as a young pop music fan. The girls are sassy as f-ck on the track, even in the opening line where Chappell makes light of Olivia making a remix. It’s a girls night out instant classic. I will say that I do miss Olivia’s mini rap in the original second verse where she mentions the “bar in silver lake”, but I’m hoping an extended version of the song leaks soon. It was always one of my favourites on Olivia’s album and is a perfect choice as fourth single. The song is already expected to skyrocket into the top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 next week, making four top 5 singles for Olivia off her latest album. Not an easy feat but certainly a very deserved one given how incredible her album was.

“Karma” by Snoh Aalegra

Plain and simple, I love vocals. Snoh Aalegra is one of those underrated vocal goddesses who to me possesses a similar quality to that of Sade Adu. A voice so soothing and so sensual that it can automatically set a mood no matter the song or performance. “Karma” is as emotional of a vocal as you’d expect, the song sounds like something Prince or Sinead O’Connor would’ve recorded in the 80s. Dramatic but stripped back at the same time. The opening chords of the song are undoubtably influenced by “Purple Rain” and that continues throughout the song’s entirety. Snoh has always exuded that power with her music, to take you to a completely different place. You really feel every word she sings. It’s been a few years since she’s been out here releasing new music so it’s a welcome return.

“Au Revoir” by Angèle

Singing in both French and English on the same song is new for Angèle but she enters that new territory on this experimental pop recording. It sounds like a futuristic type of pop that fans of more underground artists will appreciate. There’s still an undeniable marketability to Angèle’s sweet voice, it’s innovative while still being fun and cunty. You can vogue to it, you can strut to it, you can dance to it. There’s something so fresh about pop music when it’s not made for a social media algorithm or 30-second viral snippet. There’s still a catchy hook, don’t get me wrong, when she sings “au revoir, mon amour” it’s practically begging to be performed at a karaoke bar. Yet, it doesn’t feel cheesy in the slightest. Angèle fits into the avant-garde pop realm that artists like FKA twigs channel in their music, but of course as it always does, the French language just gives it a little extra flavour. “Au revoir” is an exciting edition to your playlists.

“GODDESS” by Fireboy DML, Lojay

It may be getting colder but that doesn’t mean that the dancing has to stop. Afrobeats and amapiano music are such sunkissed genres so regardless of when you are listening, you can be transported to a summer night (figuratively of course). Fireboy DML is now a few years removed from his breakout hit “Peru”, and has collaborations with Madonna, Jon Batiste, 21 Savage, Justin Timberlake and more. “GODDESS” is Fireboy DML’s latest release and he teamed up with fellow Afrobeats artist Lojay. Both artists have had great crossover success and together they’re hoping to do it again. The song has a strong energy, and the lyrics are equally powerful.

“Lies” by Zach Bryan, Lana Del Rey

The journey to the release of Lana Del Rey’s country album has been a bumpy one, and it’s still ongoing. She first announced she’d be releasing a country album back in 2024 around the same time that Beyoncé was releasing Cowboy Carter. Lana’s dropped a few singles and even announced a full album title, but numerous delays and creative pivots have made it so that the album has yet to see the light of day. With this in mind, Lana is still very much on her country ride and has released a new duet with Zach Bryan to let the fans know that it’s still coming. “Lies” is featured on Zach’s newest release and allows for Lana to enter a new realm. She is very selective about collaborations, with very few in her repertoire. But, when she does decide to get in the booth with another artist, it’s always something big. “Lies” feels like an event type of record from the time you press play. It’s a little bit country and a little bit folk (I wanted to say rock’n’roll so bad, LOL). The cozy duet highlights the beauty in both of their voices, and the stripped back orchestral instrumentals help place emphasis on the emotional delivery of the vocal. While it all still falls under the greater country genre, the song absolutely has the signature Lana Del Rey melancholic sound that her fans have loved for close to two decades now. It’s a promising sign that Lana’s next era is closer than we think.

MC’s VIRAL PICK

“Coming Up Roses” by Harry Styles

Every couple of years we get a new song that is destined to be included in the universe of songs that will be playing at weddings until the end of time. You know the ones; “From This Moment On”, “Endless Love”, “Because You Loved Me” etc… it doesn’t matter whether you actually like the songs or not, they’re just so easily digestible for audiences of all kinds that they become a part of romantic culture forever. Harry Styles created one of those timeless gems on his latest project Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. “Coming Up Roses” was an instant favourite amongst fans from the moment Harry performed it for the first time during his One Night in Manchester concert back in March. Harry dedicated the song to his friend and producer Tom Hill whom he credits with pushing and inspiring him in his creative vision. The song is about just that, the love and inspiration you can feel from someone who is close to you. He sings about a love that is special regardless of its nature or how long it lasts. Naturally, this message has translated to all the lovers out in the world and the song has become something of a universal expression of love.

The song has now been used countless times on TikTok whether it be through family members showing love to each other, fan edits of romantic fictional couples from tv shows, or just showing appreciation to Harry for creating the song. It’s posts like those that have helped the song reach new heights on streaming and have it currently sitting at #18 on TikTok’s top 50 songs chart. The song also appears poised for a fresh push from Columbia Records as an official single. Over the weekend, pop-ups in cities including Toronto, Amsterdam and Mexico City played the track on violin while handing out roses to fans who stopped by the station.