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Anna Cathcart as Kitty in \'XO, Kitty\' Season 2 + Chappell Roan
Anna Cathcart as Kitty in \'XO, Kitty\' Season 2 + Chappell Roan
Photo By Netflix + @chappellroan via Instagram
Culture > Entertainment

The Use Of Chappell Roan’s “Picture You” In This ‘XO, Kitty’ Season 2 Scene Has Fans Pissed

Siobhan Robinson

There’s a lot to talk about with XO, Kitty. The show’s second season, which premiered on Jan. 16, covers a wide range of subjects involving young friend groups. Whether it’s looking for love, navigating school, discovering your passions, or simply trying to figure things out, there’s bound to be something viewers can relate to after watching each episode. Music is one tool that XO, Kitty employs to emphasize key events, even using different soundtracks to represent the inner emotions that a character may experience. However, as viewers began to watch Season 2, one particular scene and its song usage left a bad taste in several fans’s mouths. 

The scene in question occurs towards the end of Episode 7. The K.I.S.S. students are celebrating at the Cherry Blossom Ball, and Kitty stands alone at the celebration, turning her head as she views Min Ho entering the party. In the moment, it seems like time stands still for Kitty as she slowly comes to terms with her intense feelings for Min Ho while looking at him. In the backdrop of this scene, Chappell Roan’s song “Picture You” can be heard. This is where the problem occurs. Viewers of the show weren’t particularly fond of the music choice since “Picture You” implies a sapphic connection, but it’s now being placed in a heterosexual one. 

The intentional use of the song is evident, as the notable lyrics for the scene were from the chorus, in which Roan sings, “Do you picture me like I picture you? (Oh)/ Am I in the frame from your point of view? (Oh)/ Do you feel the same? I’m too scared to say (Oh)/ Half of the things I do when I picture you.” The lyrics reflect Kitty’s emotions as she wonders if Min Ho still attracted to her as she is to him. Kitty is confused by her unexpected attraction for Min Ho, and she’s too terrified to tell him because it might jeopardize their friendship even more and his relationship with Stella.

At its core, “Picture You” is about a person’s yearning and the feeling of wondering if the other perceives you the same way. In a January 2024 interview with Capital Buzz called Making The Album, Roan explained the song’s symbolism in further detail, saying, “That song is directly related to ‘Casual.’ They’re about the same situation and you could see how ‘Picture You’ was about how I wanted them to see me so badly and I was obsessive over them and it turned out to be just casual for them and that’s why it was so shocking to me because I had pictured them in so many different ways, so, I think ‘Picture You’ is a somber song as long as kind of a sexy song.” 

Roan has previously talked about her lesbian identity and how it transfers into her music, as well as showcasing the many experiences of members of the LGBTQ+ community. Some fans believe that incorporating “Picture You” to represent a straight relationship is inappropriate given that XO, Kitty is progressive in promoting multiple people and relationships in the LGBTQ+ community. Kitty is a member of the community herself, and this season has seen her explore more of her bisexuality as she navigates her love for Yuri, Praveena, and eventually Min Ho. 

Fans took to X/Twitter to express their disappointment with the music selection.

Hopefully, the showrunners will be able to look into the constructive comments that fans of the show have given them about this issue and address it for future seasons. 

Siobhan Robinson is a member of the Her Campus national writing program. She works on the Entertainment and Culture team, covering the most recent pop culture events, trends, and entertainment releases. Previously, she worked as an Entertainment and Culture intern during the Spring 2023 semester, where she was supervised in writing breaking news verticals, live coverage of events such as the Grammys and Met Gala, and interviewing emerging Gen Z talent for Her Campus's "Next Questions" segment. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in Spring 2024 with a B.A. in Communication Studies from San Jose State University and received communication honors for completing a graduate-level course during her undergraduate studies. While in college, she was an active member of the SJSU chapter of Her Campus, serving on the executive board as Editor-In-Chief. In this role, she supervised a team of writers, senior editors, and copy editors, and assessed their articles for the site. Previously, she served as a senior editor, supervising a team of 4-5 writers, and also worked as a campus correspondent for the entire chapter. Additionally, she contributed to the school's publication magazine, Access, and became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. In her free time, Siobhan enjoys scrapbooking, hanging out with friends, going to concerts, and, of course, writing for fun! A die-hard fangirl, she loves sharing everything she knows about her favorite boy bands, even if you don't ask. If you need her, you'll likely find her binge-watching the latest K-drama.