Kim Petras – Need For Speed
GRAMMY® Award-winning pop powerhouse Kim Petras has released the much awaited fourth track, “Need for Speed”, from her imminent third studio album, Detour. This track is the latest release from BunHead Records, the independent label Kim started in 2016.
“Need for Speed” is produced by Kim Petras, Margo XS, Frost Children and nightfeelings, and is also written by Kim along with Margo Wildman, Angel Prost, Lulu Prost, Nick Weiss, and Madison Love.
After several months of patient anticipation, Kim’s accompanying “Need for Speed” video is a timely reflection on her presence in the music industry.
Directed by Ashley Hood, the video shows Kim packing up her life of programmed luxury & fame as she embarks on a new chapter. The video uses clever and cheeky integration of welcomed support from new partners such as MISTR and Yerba Madre (among others) who have come forward to support Kim with her change in infrastructure. Following a redundant amount of trial-and-error input from executives (reflected in some of the 9 fashion looks that Kim self-styled for this video), Kim drives towards an unexpected career turn…. or, detour. A childhood version of Kim reminds us that Kim has always been on the right path when she trusts herself. Is this detour the end, or just the beginning?
Kim has described “Need for Speed” as being about the “constant push for more hits and more success, which ultimately erases your personality until your only personality trait is being so busy and fast that you basically don’t have a life.” She continues that in this song she wanted to “describe this feeling of being in a machine, but wanting to break out of it and feeling like you’ve become this monster version of yourself that isn’t able to let anyone in because there is nothing there except the need for going further and faster.”
To further wet the palette for what’s to come, Kim took February 2026 to double down on her new sound with an independently released four-track EP called Pretour, available only via YouTube (with lo-fi exclusive videos) and SoundCloud. The four songs: “Pop Sound”, “Mr Producer (feat. BC Kingdom)”, “Cha Cha”, “and “Get Some (feat. Cortisa Star)” were quickly embraced by Kim’s loyal fans who were wise to understand Kim’s desire for this special drop.
Leading up to the impending release of Detour, Kim is riding a continuous wave of momentum and fan appetite following the releases of “Polo”, “Freak It”, and “I Like Ur Look”. Kim has been collaborating with all new artists for her latest music (including Pretour), teaming up with Margo XS, Frost Children, Porches, umru and nightfeelings. With her signature fusion of club roots, sharp lyricism, and emotional honesty – Detour is shaped to be Kim’s most personal, evolved and inspired music to date.
Kim has also appeared in Europe recently, DJ’ing at renowned German nightclub Berghain along with frequent collaborator/producer Margo XS, sitting front row at Gucci in Milan, and sitting front row at Courreges in Paris after hosting a private event for Nylon France where she is featured on the current cover. Kim also reunited with “Unholy” collaborator Sam Smith in San Francisco as a special surprise guest the night before headlining a special show at the famed Castro Theatre on March 15th.
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