Entertainment News | Music
"It's Barbie and Kim Petras", Nicki Minaj says opening up 2023's potential song of the summer. The exhilarant and dance-invoking track samples Alice Deejay's iconic 1999 trance smash "Better Off Alone," a rightful reverence to Kim Petras' German upbringing.
"I was born and raised in Germany and that song was a classic in clubs", told Apple Music's Zane Lowe during an interview. "I'm so honored that Alice Deejay let us do this sh*t because it's so epic."
Petras describes her on-set experience with Minaj as "incredible", highlighting the collaboration as a defining moment in her career.
"It doesn't feel real still", Petras said sincerely.
"She calls me Kim Petty in it, which all my friends are like, âHow do we not come up with that our entire lives?â... I love her and Iâm so inspired by her always, itâs crazy to me. I donât know how she does it, but sheâs just the greatest ever.â
A dedicated barb herself, Petras told People she first wrote the song intending to hand it over to the Queen herself-- to no further development. Despite, Petras was persistent, ultimately snagging her dream feature.
"I originally pitched the song to Nicki to be on her album, and she liked it, but nothing ever really happened, so I made it my own", Petras said. "I sent it again and asked her, 'You want to do a feature on this?' And she said yes, and she loved the song. And that just made me so proud and incredibly honored." I look up to her so much, I feel like she only gets better, and I'm such a fan. I'm such a Barb. And that's how it came about."
This track would be the first time Nicki Minaj created with an openly transgender artist. "Call Me Kim Petty," the veteran rapper captioned on Instagram as she announced the song's release. Minaj most recent releases include her own new single, âRed Ruby da Sleeze,â back in March debuting at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. She also guests on YoungBoy Never Broke Againâs single âWTF,â from his just-released new album, Donât Try This at Home.
"Alone" is Petras' latest single since her historical Grammy award-winning collaboration with Sam Smith. The two won Best Pop Duo-Group Performance, making them the first non-binary/ transgender individuals to ever acquire a Grammy award.
Kim Petras also announced her album's completion-- with mixed emotions--which would be her first major label project release.
"It was time to say it", Petras said. "It's such a special feeling especially since it was almost of the last three years of my life... it kind of sucks cause now people are going to judge it and its going up for everyone to hear it, and its been so fun living in my bubble with the songs."