Audrey Hobert Reflects on ‘Who’s the Clown,’ Opening for Charli XCX

It’s been over a year since Audrey Hobert released her debut album Who’s the Clown, but the world still can’t get enough of her whimsically addicting pop songs. It took them a while to catch on: Hobert released “Sue Me” in May 2025, but it didn’t hit the Billboard Hot 100 until August 2026, marking her first entry on the chart. It’s the very definition of a sleeper hit — and the power of rhyming “Bacardi” with “pilates.” The 27-year-old musician is just getting started.

“I always say the most magical thing about writing this album was, it was my first time doing it,” Hobert tells Rolling Stone. “And so, I felt very overcome by what I felt was the truth, and that is: There are no rules to this. As long as I can go to bed having written a chorus, wake up and remember it, as long as I feel it’s catchy, as long as I feel like I’m saying something true about myself or my life, then it’s a hit.” 

In the latest episode of the Rolling Stone Studio, Hobert reflects on the wild year she’s had and bringing her energetic live shows all over the world — trampoline and stilts included — while doing her best to stay offline. She also discusses Grammys season and opening for Charli XCX next year. Here are some highlights from the discussion.

She’s Really Inspired by Steve Martin

Hobert hasn’t seen a lot of Martin films (“I don’t even think I’ve seen Pink Panther,” she admits), but she grew up listening to his comedy albums, like 1977’s Get Small. “My dad was such a big fan of him,” Hobert says. “His comedy albums were playing a lot when I was a kid and my dad was always like, ‘This guy is the reason why I want to be a comedy writer. This is the most genius comedian we have.’ Then, right when I was starting to write songs by myself, I watched his documentary that’s on Apple TV. I’m probably botching it a little bit, but it seems like he tried a few different personas and shticks on stage. And when he decided to let his freak flag fly and be totally strange is when everything clicked and he got mega famous. Not saying that’s what I want, but I just thought that was really cool.”

She Has a ‘Fraught’ Relationship With Social Media

“I don’t always like to make big blanket statements, but I would go as far as to make the blanket statement that I think it’s bad, more than it is good,” she says. “I know that sometimes people will list 10 bad things about social media and then be like, ‘But it brings people together!’ And I’m like, ‘In what way?’ I mean, I guess people have met their friends via social media. I can respect that. But before I was a singer, I would often get really annoyed by singers specifically on Instagram. I just was like, ‘Can you get out of my face?’ And now, I feel that I’m just in people’s faces too much. So that is kind of the compass from which I move from. I’m okay to be annoying in real life. Not really, but I would really hate to be annoying on social media, so I try not to be. It’s cool to have followers and likes though, so that always brightens my day. Thanks to my followers. Check out my next post.”

“I have read comments before,” she says. “I like to read comments on my music videos, but no. I feel physically gross if I keep reading comments. My body will not allow me to, and I just don’t want to see something that might hurt my feelings, so I just stay away.

She’s a Big Fan of Nathan Fielder 

When Hobert visited the Rolling Stone offices, she was about to see John Wilson’s new film The History of Concrete. She said she’s also a massive fan of Nathan Fielder, who executive produced Wilson’s HBO show How To With John Wilson (and broke out with his own Comedy Central series Nathan For You). “I think a lot of people do find Nathan for You uncomfortable and hard to watch,” she says. “I’m not that way. I don’t find it awkward or uncomfortable at all. I think it’s devastatingly hilarious.”

She’s Not Worried About the Sophomore Slump

Most artists face pressure when following up a debut as beloved as Who’s the Clown, but Hobert isn’t concerned about her second album. “All I can do is be present,” she says. “Know what’s bad for me, know what’s good for me, try not to rot my brain out of my skull, read books, see movies, spend time by myself, spend time with my loved ones, and not become so concerned that I am not going to make something as good as I did the first time. The sophomore curse. Manifesting is real, and I think worry brings more of the same. Why worry? Life is short, life is good. So, if it’s bad, that’ll be my fault. And if it’s good, that will also be my fault.”

She’s Constantly Asked About Friends

Hobert wrote a song dedicated to Lisa Kudrow’s character (the whimsical “Phoebe”), so she’s often asked about the classic Nineties sitcom. “I think I’ve probably been asked 200 times if I watch Friends,” she says. “I mean, I think it’s a great show. I would never pay homage to something that I didn’t think was a timeless classic.”

She Had a Wild Grammys Night in 2024

It’s not lost on Hobert that she might win a Grammy next year. “I’m definitely a dreamer and I’ve loved award shows since I was a child. I watch every single one. I love watching people win awards. I got to go to the Grammys with Gracie [Abrams]. She took me in 2024. It was the best night of my life. It was Charli and Sabrina [Carpenter] and Chappell [Roan] and Doechii and Kendrick Lamar. I cried the entire night. They kept bringing me champagne. I couldn’t see straight. I was telling people crazy things. It was the best night of my life.” 

She’s Psyched to Open for Charli XCX Next Year

Hobert is slated to support Charli XCX on tour in Europe and the U.K. next year, in support of Charli’s new album Music, Fashion, Film. “I have just been, silently to myself, all year really obsessed with her, and really into Brat this year,” Hobert says. “Her new album was my favorite, favorite thing. I remember when it came out, I was in Columbus, Ohio, and I took a walk through this park that was near my hotel. And it didn’t have a clear path, so I kept having to walk in zigzags, and I was just listening to that album. And it’s always a good sign. The highest compliment I can pay is when I’m listening to something and then I just start being like, ‘I want to write a song.’ I just was so inspired by it.”