At the Governors Ball music festival in 2024, Chappell Roan captivated audiences by debuting the unreleased gem, "The Subway," leaving fans eagerly pleading for the pop star to record it. However, it wasn't until a full year had passed that Roan, then 27, finally unveiled the track alongside a music video that swiftly became a beloved favorite among her fans.
In a recent interview with Vogue, the hitmaker behind "Casual" revealed the behind-the-scenes journey of "The Subway." She had initially planned to release the now-iconic song in April, but postponed it to June, and eventually to July. The highly anticipated track finally saw the light of day on July 31st, securing the record for the most-streamed debut by a female artist that year.
When asked about the delays, Roan confessed, "It was excruciating. I was consumed by anger and fear—about my life and everything in it—and I just couldn't bring myself to release it." This vulnerable composition marked a departure from her usual fare, as she penned it during a tumultuous time of heartbreak, with the pain seeping into every lyric.
Reflecting on her ex, Roan shared, "I was struggling immensely to move past this person. I just couldn't let go." She continued, "While writing, I kept telling myself, 'We're done, we're done, we're done.' But the feelings lingered, even though we were over."
As for the production of the song, the "HOT TO GO!" chanteuse added, "It took an excruciating amount of time to get it just right." The hurt was still fresh in her mind, and she felt unprepared to invest the love and energy demanded by a music video. "It's such a labor of love," she admitted. "I wasn't sure if I had that love in my heart at the moment."
