Kim Petras Opens Up About the Inspiration Behind "Jeep," Her New Track

Kim Petras is rolling out fresh material from her upcoming self-financed project. The 33-year-old artist dropped "Jeep" on Wednesday, May 6, marking her latest offering ahead of the album's release.

Speaking with Meg Stalter for Interview, Petras described the track as particularly meaningful to her. The song came together under unusual circumstances—she was in the studio when evacuation orders came through during the L.A. fires. "We just packed everything up within 20 minutes and wrote that song at night when we got to the desert," she explained.

The title carries a personal touch rooted in her German heritage. Growing up in a small German town, Petras noted that locals use "Jeep" as a catch-all term for trucks, regardless of the actual vehicle brand. She recalled a date where she complimented her companion's vehicle using the local vernacular. "He was like, 'It's not a Jeep.' He got offended," she laughed, adding that people take pride in their trucks. What started as a cultural misunderstanding evolved into the foundation for a love song, tapping into themes of feeling displaced and having different cultural reference points.

The production credits include Nightfeelings, Porches, and Eric Cross.

For this album cycle, Petras emphasized the significance of creative autonomy. "I have full creative control, which is a first in my career and feels appropriate for the album and the concept of it," she told Interview. She also revealed that a broken foot sustained from stage diving in Louboutins sidelined her for six months, during which time she reassessed her artistic direction. "I just want to drive to the middle of nowhere and date a pothead and throw all of this away," she said of that period.

This newfound freedom has shifted her perspective on songwriting. "I'm thinking about what I want pop music to be and not about what I think will be successful," she noted. Collaboration has also played a key role in shaping the project's sound. "I've been working with trans girlies and that changed everything, because I feel like we really understand how we want the music to sound," Petras shared. She highlighted the contributions of Margo XS and Angel Prost from Frost Children in developing the album's sonic direction.