Role Model sampled another individual’s voice on “Love I You” — but does it belong to rumored love interest Dakota Johnson?
“Who the f*** is on [‘Love I You?’]? Is that D? Can we not f***ing pretend it’s so obviously her?” Zane Lowe asked Role Model, 29, on the Tuesday, August 4, episode of his Apple Music 1 radio show. “She’s not masking her voice and she’s got a really recognizable voice. Sorry, ‘D.’”
Role Model debuted “Love I You” during his secret concert in Chicago last month, in which he appeared to have a conversation about a relationship with a woman. Social media users immediately theorized that the voice in question belonged to Johnson, 36.
While speaking with Lowe, 52, Role Model joked that the voice actually belonged to DJ Khaled.
“I’m sorry, I know that this is a great cat-and-mouse game going on and long may it continue because you guys are cheeky as f***, both of you, individually, let alone together,” Lowe replied. “But so obviously her can be just — f***, I’m not having it. I’m not f***ing having it!”
While the “Sally (When the Wine Runs Out)” musician continued his bit that DJ Khaled, 50, was featured on “Love I You,” he did truthfully reveal the inspiration for the track.
“I wrote those verses on a guitar over some boring chords, brought it to them, and was like, ‘We need something that swings like this,’” he recalled on Tuesday. “And when we got to the end, I was like, ‘This feels like a drunk. I want it to feel drunk a little bit. I want the song to feel drunk.’ And so we were like, ‘We need a Bachelorette party of women in here to do the backing vocals.’”
Role Model continued, “We weren’t in Nashville, unfortunately, but we called ten of our female friends, a few of which were singers. They all came in and we just had a party, and we just loosely sang the [chorus]. Man, it’s not a good story. F*** it.”
Role Model and the 50 Shades of Grey actress have been romantically linked since January after being spotted holding hands on multiple occasions. Neither the singer nor Johnson have publicly addressed their reported relationship status.
Johnson was most recently linked to Coldplay frontman Chris Martin on and off until their 2025 split, while Role Model has been single since 2023 following his breakup from Emma Chamberlain.
Role Model’s Chuck Timely & The Hourglass will be released Friday, August 7.
