As Lorde's made clear, the song was inspired by a photo in National Geographic of Kansas City Royals third baseman, George Brett. The photo, which was taken by photographer Ted Spiegel, appeared in an article about Kansas City in July 1976 and shows Brett signing baseballs for a crowd of fans. Lorde said the word "Royals" on his jersey struck a chord with her and inspired her to write the song.

Lorde got a chance to meet Brett before her show in Las Vegas, even getting in a photo with the retired player. But, San Fran seems concerned that the song could add extra fuel to Kansas City's fire, that's why two local radio stations in the area have announced that they will become a "Lorde-free zone" throughout the series, according to Billboard.