Swedish pop icon Robyn has declared she was ahead of the curve in her criticism of tech billionaire Elon Musk, stating she disliked him long before it became a widespread sentiment.
A Long-Standing Disdain for Musk
During a candid appearance on the "Las Culturistas" podcast hosted by Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers on Wednesday, Robyn was given free rein to rant on any topic. She promptly set her sights on Musk. "I always hated Elon Musk. I always hated him, way before it was cool to hate him," the "Dancing On My Own" singer stated, earning immediate agreement from the hosts.
Robyn reminded the audience that there was a time when Musk was largely perceived as an eccentric innovator rather than a controversial figure. "Because there was a time when it wasn't cool to hate him," she noted, highlighting the significant shift in his public image over the years.
The 2018 SpaceX Stunt That Crossed a Line
The singer pinpointed a specific event that cemented her repulsion: the 2018 launch of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket that sent Musk's personal red Tesla Roadster into orbit around the sun. "As if there wasn't enough shit floating around," Robyn fumed, criticizing the commercial use of natural resources for what she deemed a frivolous spectacle.
She expressed outrage at "the fact that any commercial company can decide what to do with natural resources and also do tacky things, like sending a stupid fucking car into space." Co-host Matt Rogers concurred, stating that nearly everything Musk does now makes his "skin crawl."
Robyn saved particular ire for the stunt's soundtrack: David Bowie's iconic "Space Oddity." "Just to sell cars?" she balked, suggesting the late rock legend would "turn in his grave" knowing his music was used in such a commercial context.
Shifting Public Opinion Aligns with Robyn's View
While Robyn claims her aversion predates the trend, public opinion in the United States has moved decisively in her direction. This shift is notably attributed to Musk's tenure as the face of a federal budget-slashing initiative known as the Department of Government Efficiency.
According to an August 2025 Gallup poll that asked Americans to assess 14 world figures, 61% of 1,000 randomly selected adults held a negative view of Elon Musk. This marked a significant increase of 14 percentage points from polls conducted prior to his involvement with the White House project.
Robyn's vocal criticism on a popular culture podcast underscores how Musk's persona has evolved from a celebrated tech visionary to a polarizing figure, with his business ventures and political engagements drawing increasing scrutiny and disapproval from a broad segment of the public.
