Just one week after ABC announced the premiere date (and shared an interesting poster) for season 16 of The Bachelorette, the network has gifted us with a first promo.
The short clip was released on Wednesday and features Clare Crawley demanding “respect” while Keke Palmer sings a cover of Aretha Franklin’s hit song of the same name. And it appears things are already getting steamy. “I have so much to share, and so much to give," Crawley says in voiceover. “I know what I am looking for, and I am so ready for this.”
During the video, we get a sneak peek of the contestants' arrival and the infamous cocktail party. At one point, Crawley even plants a big kiss on one of the men.
It’s important to note that the trailer only focuses on the 39-year-old and did not mention Tayshia Adams, who replaces Crawley as the show’s star later in the season, per E! News. A source revealed that Crawley found love shortly after the show started filming, which prompted ABC to pursue a new lead.
“The producers have told [Adams] that the season will still lead with Clare and her short-lived journey, and will show Clare falling in love with one of her suitors,” the insider said. “Clare will then conclude her journey and announce that Tayshia is the lead.”
ABC announced last week that season 16 of the reality television show will hit small screens on Tuesday, October 13. That means we only have to wait for a little over a month to find out how exactly this craziness all goes down.
And you bet we’re crossing our fingers for a Keke Palmer cameo.