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We caught up with California musician Mike Roberts, who wrote the sexy slow jam featured in the video above, to find out what inspires him.
“So the basic hook is, 'I'm You' Heat Pump,” Roberts said, repeating a line from the song's chorus.
It is also the name of an ode to the unlikely Romeo.
And the chorus:
“When you want to be hot, I'm hot for you. I'm your heat pump. When you want to be cool, I'm cool, baby.”
Roberts volunteers for a nonprofit called The Switch Is On. Their mission is to encourage people to switch to more efficient and environmentally friendly appliances. This movement is called electrification.
One day, Roberts was chatting with a staff member of the group, who recommended a song to help spread the message.
“We laughed about it, but, you know, it stuck in my mind and I thought, 'Yeah, why not, you know, why not try it?'” Roberts said.
“So, you know, I basically just have fun with myself and have a lot of fun with it.”
The Switch Is On followed with corporate sponsorship and a music video starring Roberts' friend and fellow musician Will Hammond Jr.
Will Hammond Jr. appears in a screenshot from the “(I'm Your) Heat Pump” music video.
In the YouTube version, Hammond brings the mild-mannered protagonist to life. It can even sometimes be considered a bit dangerous by some.
“Actually, the original version of it was even hotter than what you see,” Roberts joked.
He is a volunteer with several environmental and climate change groups.
“I really feel that with climate, we have to look at the problem from all angles, we need good communication, we need to tell stories. It can't just be dry scientific information. We need to make it a reality.” It's also interesting. ,” Roberts said. “That’s where art really comes into play.”
He added that the message of the song is one that everyone can relate to.
“I feel like this is a place where climate intersects with daily life,” Roberts said. “You don’t have to care about the climate to get a heat pump.”
The Department of Energy says heat pumps can reduce electricity use by up to 65%. A study released in February by the department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that up to 95 percent of U.S. households would save on utility bills by switching to heat pumps, which can also cool homes.
Roberts noted that state and federal incentive programs can help lower installation costs.
He has electrified his home appliances and used solar energy.
Roberts doesn’t want to be a one-hit wonder. He's already working on another song. This is about induction cooktops.
What about the lyrics to that one?
“They don’t come out as easily as heat pump songs.”
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Meteorological network reporter Jane Childs Covering breaking news and features related to weather, space, climate change, the environment and everything in between. Editors/producers Dan Wright and Pat Maddox contributed to this report.
