Carly Rae Jepsen Opens Up About ‘Rap Debut’ With Lil Yachty, Working With Robyn Producer
UPDATE: Watch Carly Rae Jepsen and Lil Yachty's delightful Target commercial for the Grammys, below:
If you've been waiting with bated breath for Carly Rae Jepsen to grace you with another excellent, delightfully infectious pop album, consider yourself in the final stretch.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly from a recording studio in Stockholm, the Canadian singer-songwriter teased her upcoming disco-infused fourth studio album, admitting that while there's still "a lot of work left to do," the self-professed "over-writer" is finally onto something.
"I’m definitely finding some new sounds for me, which is always the goal: to challenge what you did last time, to break some rules, and to discover new places where you want to go musically," she said, adding, "I can’t quite seem to just write eight or nine songs and call it a record. I think on this record alone I’m up to at least 42 songs. I’m like, 'Okay, narrowing it down!' but I’m still continuing [to write and record]."
Jepsen, who revealed that the record will channel "more Donna Summer than the Bee Gees," also shared that she's working with her EMOTION producers Mattman & Robin and Rami Yacoub, as well as Bloodshy & Avant's Pontus Winnberg and Robyn producer Patrik Berger, who worked on the Swedish pop icon's unforgettable 2010 anthem, "Dancing on My Own."
In addition to finishing up work on her new record, the pop star will also treat Grammy viewers to a special musical commercial during the award ceremony on February 12.
The singer recently teamed up with rapper Lil Yachty, producer Mile Will Made It, director Roman Coppola and La La Land choreographer Mandy Moore to film a Target commercial (and cover of Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock's 1988 smash "It Takes Two") set to air on Sunday... and yes, Jepsen will be making her (sorta) rap debut.
"You get some strange pitches in your lifetime, and this was definitely one of them," she told EW about the collaboration.
"I got a late-night phone call from my A&R person, who was like, 'We’re missing one verse, and they’re wondering if you wouldn’t mind writing a rap and coming in and recording it tonight?' I was like, 'Uh, you guys realize I don’t rap, right? That sounds crazy.' It was one of the most intimidating moments of my career...They’re like, 'Alright, go perform your first-ever rap in front of actual professional rappers!' There’s nothing more terrifying than that."
Listen to a teaser of the track, below:
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