Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan’s “expectations” is off to a record-breaking start on YouTube, earning 6.4 million views in its first 24 hours. The collaboration marks the biggest debut for a female collaboration on the platform in 2026.
The track also reached No. 1 on the U.S. iTunes Songs Chart, while its accompanying music video climbed to the top of YouTube’s trending rankings. The response highlights the anticipation surrounding the pairing, which brings together two of pop’s most distinctive songwriters for a reworked version of a track from Olivia Rodrigo’s third album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love.
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Originally featured on the album, “expectations” returns with a remix built around buoyant synthesizers, handclaps, and an unmistakable 1980s-inspired sound. Producer Dan Nigro, Rodrigo’s longtime collaborator, worked on the new version alongside Mike Wise, preserving the original’s dance-punk energy while making room for Chappell Roan to contribute her own perspective on romantic disappointment.
Roan’s verse adds a fresh narrative to the song’s exploration of modern dating. She describes a woman who ghosts her after a front-row concert date and physical advances, bringing her signature mix of sharp humor and emotional frustration to the track. The result turns “expectations” into a conversation between two artists whose songwriting often finds absurdity in the complications of romance.
The collaboration also marks Roan’s first official featured appearance on an Olivia Rodrigo song, formalizing a relationship that began several years ago. Roan opened for Rodrigo during a SOUR Tour date in 2022 before joining the GUTS World Tour for an extended run in 2024. Their friendship became even more visible in August of that year, when Rodrigo joined Roan onstage at Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome to perform “Hot to Go!” and take part in its now-famous choreography. Recently, Chappell performed at Olivia’s inaugural Daisy Chain Fields Festival.
The music video pushes the song’s playful concept further, casting both singers as contestants on The Big Expectations Show, a retro television game show hosted by David Byrne as Johnny Johnson. Directed by Bardia Zeinali, the visual leans into vintage styling, exaggerated production, and playful competition, matching the track’s satirical take on romantic standards.
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