Jeremy Pope Doesn’t Trust Anyone Who Doesn’t Like Beyoncé

This is SOUND ADVICE, a weekly destination for playlists curated by Interview’s friends, enemies, and lovers. Over the past few weeks, we’ve gathered playlists from Addison Rae, Crush Sahara, and Liana Flores. This week, we spoke with the truly multi-talented Jeremy Pope. After securing a Golden Globe nomination last year for his performance in Elegance Bratton’s The Inspection—not to mention his Emmy, Grammy, and Tony nominations, plus a Calvin Klein campaign—Pope is ready to make his foray into writing and producing his own music. Last week, the Florida-native dropped his debut EP LAST NAME: POPE, a collection of funk- and soul-inspired R&B written mostly in hotels rooms around the globe (he prefers The Standard, he told us). To celebrate the occasion, Pope curated a playlist that includes some of his long-time influences (think Earth, Wind, and Fire, Prince, and of course, Beyoncé). He also took the time to answer our SOUND ADVICE questionnaire, where he gets into the simple pleasures of Shirley Temples, Dreamgirls, and “borrowed” hotel robes.

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Where do you dance? Everywhere.

Where’s the afters? I’m a homebody so probably at the crib.

You just arrived at the function. What are you drinking? Ginger beer and pineapple juice OR a Shirley Temple

What’s the song of the summer? “Not Like Us” – Kendrick

What’s your favorite hotel you’ve written a song in? The Standard Hotel in NYC.

What’s your strangest pre-show ritual? Gummies or candy. I’ve been called a walking 7/11.

Best setting to listen to your new EP? At night. Candles lit or mood lighting.

What’s your earliest musical memory? Listening to Whitney Houston and Brandy on my mom’s cassette player.

Bluetooth or wired headphones? Bluetooth.

What’s your guilty pleasure musical theater soundtrack? Dreamgirls.

What’s a music taste red flag? Not “liking” Beyoncé? Where they do that at?

What are you Door Dashing to rehearsals? Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

What song on this playlist makes you cry? “Lost One” – Jazmine Sullivan

What play should we go see this summer? Saw Hell’s Kitchen with my family this month and it was incredibly beautiful. Maleah Joi Moon and the entire cast are such powerful special artist.

The world is ending. What are you wearing? A “borrowed” hotel robe.