Pop stars Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan have reunited on screen, unveiling a vintage television game show-themed music video for a newly released remix of Rodrigo’s track “Expectations.”
Directed by Bardia Zeinali, the clip features Talking Heads frontman David Byrne as Johnny Johnson, the host of a fictional program titled “Big Expectations,” Variety reported. Across sets inspired by classic programs such as “Family Feud” and “Hollywood Squares,” Rodrigo and Roan square off as contestants, accompanied by a cameo from their mutual producer, Dan Nigro.
A retro collaboration and a new verse
The collaboration represents Roan’s first official feature on another artist’s recording. In her added verse, Roan introduces a perspective exploring dating challenges with a female romantic interest, confronting Rodrigo’s character during a segment dubbed “Sister Squabble.”
“I love making things a little gay,” Roan said in an interview with Apple Music host Zane Lowe, according to Billboard. Roan explained that she enjoyed bringing her viewpoint to the collaboration and praised Rodrigo for addressing complicated emotional themes within a mainstream pop format.
Rodrigo told Lowe that she felt nervous about approaching Byrne to participate in the production, but the veteran musician fully embraced the role. Byrne stayed on set the entire day and created his own improvised variations for Johnson, Rodrigo noted. Nigro also appears toward the conclusion of the video holding a bulky 1990s cellular phone, Variety reported.
Shared history and upcoming projects
The release reflects a creative partnership spanning several years between the two performers. Roan previously opened for Rodrigo on both the Sour Tour and the Guts World Tour. More recently, Roan was among the headline performers at Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields Festival, held on Aug. 29 at the Great Park in Irvine, California. That event raised $10 million for charities supporting women and girls, an amount matched by philanthropist Melinda French Gates for a total of $20 million, according to Rolling Stone.
“Expectations” originally debuted at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 2026 as part of Rodrigo’s third studio album, “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Rodrigo is currently supporting the release on her global Unraveled Tour.
Roan, who was named Best New Artist at the 2025 Grammy Awards following the breakthrough success of her 2023 debut album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” continues to prepare for upcoming live events. Roan is scheduled to host a two-night benefit concert, The Super Graphic Spectacular, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Oct. 21 and Oct. 22. The event will raise money for organizations assisting LGBTQ+ communities and transgender youth, featuring appearances from performers including Caroline Polachek, Tinashe, and Muna.
