The Sam Sanders Show Can Robyn Teach Us To Love Again (and again and again)? w/ Jia Tolentino
Mar 31, 2026
Jia Tolentino, New Yorker staff writer and cultural critic, unpacks Robyn’s new album and career. They talk about motherhood woven into club beats. They explore frank sexuality, heartbreak set to ecstatic pop, and how Robyn subverted mainstream pop to stay influential.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Sad Songs You Can Dance To With Motherhood Threads
- Robyn's new album Sexistential keeps her signature 'sad songs you can dance to' while adding motherhood and sexuality themes.
- Jia Tolentino highlights tracks about breastfeeding, IVF, and pregnancy horniness that blend into Robyn's familiar ecstatic pop form.
Motherhood As A Continuation Of Romantic Extremes
- Robyn treats motherhood as another register of the extreme love and vulnerability that fuels her music rather than a separate thematic detour.
- Jia connects songs like Blow My Mind (about nursing) to the same drive for intensity that motivated Robyn's artistry and personal choices.
Robyn Told Fans The Album Is Not Just About Motherhood
- At a December listening party Robyn told attendees the album isn't just about motherhood and casually hung out with the crowd.
- Sam and Jia note she juxtaposes horny dating-app songs and nursing odes on the same record and even performed on Colbert.