There’s a wonderful Pitchfork interview with R. Kelly and Phoenix’s Thomas Mars following their Coachella performance and subsequent collaboration that reveals a number of important things: How Kelly likes his Subway sandwiches prepared (“It’s got turkey, lettuce, tomatoes, and extra oil and vinegarâ€), that director (and Thomas Mars’ father-in-law) Francis Ford Coppola loved “Trapped in the Closet†(“I remember him sitting there in silence for 10 minutes and then saying, ‘This is incredible’â€), and that R. Kelly considers Phoenix to be like the Beatles (“But when you have a gift, it’s different than just having talent. [Phoenix] are gifted — they’ve got that Beatles thing going on. You can’t explain it.â€).
But how did the two even decide to pair up? Kells explains: “My manager told me, ‘The group Phoenix really love your music and would love for you to come out as a surprise guest out of nowhere and perform.’ I’m like, ‘Huh? I don’t get it. What do you mean?’ An hour later, I’m still saying, ‘I really don’t get it.’â€