I Can Pay Your Rent

"I Can Pay Your Rent" is a song by American indie pop band Curriculum. The song was released as a the second single from their 2014 sophomore album Sophomore on 19 May 2014, with the single version featuring guest vocals from highly popular American superstar Syd Wolfe.

"I Can Pay Your Rent" lyrically talks about a ordinary supposedly "working class" man who gets enamored with a wealthy lady who is more than willing to spend lots of money on him and spoil him with gifts. Sonically, the song continues the band's foray into experimenting with more urban and pop sounds.

"I Can Pay Your Rent" became a commercial success for the band, becoming their third single to peak at #2 on the UK Singles Chart, and becoming their sixth overall top three hit. The same week, the single debuted at #2 was also when another single involving Wolfe (her duet with singer Kleo titled "Broken Hearts of Yesterday") was at #1, giving Wolfe the distinction of being only the second artist ever in chart history to occupy the the top two positions on the singles chart. Currently, the single has sold more than 279,000 copies in the UK and has been certified Gold by the Urapopstar Recording Association Phonographic Society (URAPS).

Background, writing, and composition
"I Can Pay Your Rent" was written and recorded in July 2012, making it one of the oldest songs on their album Sophomore. The song was produced and recorded at a recording studio in Los Angeles.

"I Can Pay Your Rent" lyrically speaks about common and ordinary working young man who falls in love and is seduced by a wealthy woman who is willing to spend lots of money on him, spoil him with gifts, and expose him to a life of luxury as the perks of their romantic relationship. Gregory Preston Olivier, who started off the writing of the song, states that it was not "necessarily" inspired by anyone particular though he would admit that the song reminds him of his relationship with his wife Virginia, who is a high-powered businesswoman who comes from a wealthy family (Gregory Preston also comes a wealthy family as well).

Sonically, the band once again experiment with the urban genre as the song is an indie pop song with strong influences from urban-sounding pop.

On the album version of "I Can Pay Your Rent", it features uncredited vocals by Cerise + Victor member Stephanie Kesh, who had recorded the song when she was still professionally associated with them. The "uncredited female vocals" by Kesh, which is what they would be referred to, only chanted the final line of a verse and then would vocally dominate the chorus while singing along with Olivier and band member Phillip Mandelbaum. The uncredited female vocals also chanted the middle eight of the song.

The single version featuring Wolfe turns the song into more of a duet as she takes over the part of the "uncredited female vocals". The single version was also slightly re-written so Wolfe can be heard more on the song.