Kim Petras has returned with her long-awaited new song, “If Jesus Was A Rockstar.” Backed by a guitar melody, she ushers in what is speculated to be her debut album era with a lead single that is prime for major pop radio appeal. The chorus is incredibly catchy, and the production is a slight departure from what fans might expect, considering her past hyper-pop releases. It also has an emotional backstory that ties into Petras’ personal life.
“I just had to dig really deep for this,” Petras told Billboard last month.
“For me, religion and spirituality is such an intense topic, because I grew up trans, not fitting into any religion. All of my friends were pretty religious, and I kind of just wanted to write this song about how I wish religion would include me — and how it doesn’t, and how a lot of my friends in the LGBTQ community are forced to feel this way.”
“That’s why I always looked for spirituality elsewhere,” she continued. “That’s why I loved music, because it gave me a similar sort of sensation, and gave me a place I belonged. So yeah, the song kinda says maybe if religion was cooler, then I would wanna be a part of it. So, if Jesus was a rockstar, maybe I’d want to be just like him.”
Before Petras’ newest song, her “Unholy” collaboration with Sam Smith reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The achievement marked the first chart-topping hit for either artist.
Watch the lyric video for Kim Petras’ “If Jesus Was A Rockstar” above.
