Dating nowadays feels more like a game show than a movie. We’re often fed this idea that love is easy to find and that “the one” is just around the corner. In reality, it’s a giant test: say something witty, pray it’s correct and hope you win them over, only then to lose. Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan echo the hardships of modern dating in their new music video, “Expectations.”

On Oct. 15, Rodrigo released a remix of her song “Expectations” featuring Roan, making it Rodrigo’s first major remix and Roan’s first time as a featured artist. 

It’s to little surprise that the two would collaborate for a song. Both artists have previously shared the stage, with Roan being an opener for both of Rodrigo’s previous tours and charity festival, Daisy Chain Field Music Festival. The pair also work with the same producer, Dan Nigro. 

Accompanying the collaboration was a music video directed by Bardia Zeinali featuring both artists competing in a series of classic 80s-inspired game shows like Wheel of Fortune and Family Feud, hosted by David Byrne as Johnny Johnson. Throughout the video, both stars play various versions of themselves, addressing one problem: dating. 

The video opens with Chappell Roan announcing that “Olivia does remixes now,” before cutting to a retro-inspired intro to a gameshow titled The big Expectations show. Here we meet the competitors, all of which are Olivia Rodrigo with different costumes — one in pink with glasses, another in a more rock n’ roll style with poofy hair and black attire and lastly one in a checkered shirt and pink eyeshadow. Johnson starts the game by asking the contestants how they got there, prompting the pink Olivia to start singing. Rodrigo starts the song off singing about a guy she met at a party, who she ended up blocking later on. Through this story, she addresses how many young people nowadays are having trouble finding a good partner. Oftentimes people will settle for someone for a while just to not be alone but end up in an odd situationship or in bad relationships they need to end. 

After the first verse, the pre-chorus and chorus show Rodrigo a couple months after blocking the guy, now secure in what she wants in a relationship. When this part begins, the video shows Rodrigo as the game’s letter-turner, after the fall out. Her expectations are bigger than ever, no longer accepting the bare minimum from a partner. Rodrigo’s lyrics really shine in this song, working outside her usually melancholic tone from previous tracks like “the cure” and “less.” One line that particularly stuck out to me was “I’m not kissing any boy that is passive//Their indecision is painfully unattractive,” as it specifically critiques the men she’s dated instead of herself, which is the opposite of what happened in her previous album Guts. 

Despite talking about her own situation, she’s able to create a universal scenario. The loud and proud production aids her songwriting as well, making wanting more feel like victory. Unlike the gradual, emotional build-up of “the cure,” or the rock energy of her previous album, “expectations” remains upbeat throughout the entire track. Rodrigo’s usual heartbroken motif is replaced for a fast-paced, catchy ‘80s synth-pop style that shifts the narrative into an empowering track rather than wallowing because of an ex.

Midway through the video, Roan is introduced through a round of “Sister Squabble” (a spoof of Family Feud) where Roan’s and Rodrigo’s teams face head on, Rodrigo’s side being very punk inspired while Roan’s is more drag inspired. When the round begins, Roan and Rodrigo step up to the buzzer and are asked what “Places you should take her?” Roan buzzes in, singing that she took a girl “to a concert, front row,” causing the answers to appear on the board behind her. Alongside the stunningly bright visuals in the video, Roan continues her verse. She adds that the girl ended up ghosting her, something not uncommon in modern dating culture. 

Roan’s verse is where the remix becomes more than a feature. Her vocals provide a contrast to Rodrigo’s softer tone, contrasting it with richer vocals that add an edge to the song. This addition creates an extra layer to the song without taking away from Rodrigo’s vocals but pairs quite well with them. Lyrically, Roan’s verse compliments Rodrigo’s well too. While the original is only about Rodrigo’s experience with men, Roan brings in a queer perspective, talking about her own failed experiences with women.

What stood out to me the most was how Roan’s relationship was shown. Rodrigo and Roan had the opportunity to fall into a typical lesbian stereotype of hating men and “switching” to dating women. However, Roan’s verse shows how modern dating is equally bad for queer people, saying that the girl she took to a concert ghosted her despite saying she’d call. Despite facing what Roan calls “Classic L.A. behaviour,” her failed relationship now has her expecting more from future partners as well.

The video is also very camp. Everything feels big, emphasizing the song’s point. Bold colors somehow work, creating a larger-than-life set that goes hand in hand with the fashion. Roan’s signature drag-inspired looks mix bold patterns with sharp silhouettes. Rodrigo partially borrows this style from Roan and mixes it with typical ‘80s fashion, incorporating wilder patterns into her usually soft silhouettes, even using more colorful eyeshadows in her makeup and poofing up her hair in some looks. Visually, everything in this video is big, pairing along nicely with the girls’ big expectations. It feels like the quirky style and eccentric visuals are meant to signal not only their higher standards but also how comfortable they are in themselves, mainly shown through expressive fashion and makeup. 

What makes “Expectations” work is its honesty. Dating today often feels like a test with no right answers, and the song doesn’t pretend otherwise. Instead, Rodrigo and Roan turn that frustration into a loud, unapologetic anthem about wanting more from their relationships.