Kim Petras is first up the hill in what is sure to be a flood of new covers for Kate Bush’s iconic pop number “Running Up That Hill” after it received a crucial sync placement in the first volume of Stranger Things 4.
The release has nothing to do with the Stranger Things sensation and its subsequent Billboard charts-jumping resurgence, but is actually just a coincidental case of good timing. The track arrives as an exclusive Amazon Original for Pride Month and currently leads off PROUD, Amazon Music’s marquee playlist for LGBTQ+ artists’ new releases. Update — 9/2: The cover is now available on all major streaming platforms. Check it out below.
It’s been less than a week since Stranger Things 4 debuted on Netflix, and yet the Kate Bush classic has already permeated the zeitgeist thanks to its part in the new season’s plot. While acknowledging her long-held personal admiration for the song, Petras made a knowing reference to the viral moment in a statement, writing: “I have always been obsessed with ‘Running Up That Hill.’ It means so much and it’s so elusive. You can definitely decide what you want it to mean. For me, it’s about equality. And my timing for this was strangely perfect!”
Petras most recently released the provocative Slut Pop EP via Republic Records in February behind the single “Coconuts.” She is now working on her major label debut album. Meanwhile, the Stranger Things: Soundtrack from the Netflix Series, Season 4, Volume I, featuring the Kate Bush centerpiece, was released last Friday to coincide with the show’s premiere.
