John Roberts could’ve coasted on being Linda Belcher forever. The voice of Bob’s Burgers’ loudest, liveliest mom already has TV immortality in the bag—but he’s been quietly chasing something else: synths, choruses, and the perfect pop hook. “I’ve always had samplers and keyboards in my room,” he says. “But I was more of a wallflower back then. It took me a while to find my people.”
Those people turned out to include Big Black Delta, Junior Sanchez, Baby Daddy from Scissor Sisters, and—casually—Debbie Harry. “I made an EP with Big Black Delta about five years ago, and it just started rolling from there,” Roberts says. “I’ve been lucky to work with some insanely talented producers. It’s happening slowly, independently, but in a way that feels right.”
His new single Danger sounds like a lost Depeche Mode b-side beamed in from an alternate 1986. It’s glossy, danceable, and slyly nostalgic—exactly what you’d expect from a Gen Xer who once opened for Blondie and Tom Tom Club in his old band Opti-Grab. “My favorite decade of music is the ‘80s,” he says. “There was so much going on—melody, chorus, things you can actually remember.”
Roberts recorded Danger in Asbury Park—ironically while unknowingly carrying COVID. “I tested negative that morning,” he says, laughing. “Got home, tested again—positive. So yeah, I recorded it with COVID. But it’s still a fun song, I swear you won’t catch anything listening to it.”
The single comes with a delirious music video featuring Margaret Cho, a talking car, and more neon than a mall arcade. “We used to watch Knight Rider as kids,” Roberts says. “I thought, how fun would it be to do my own episode? We even got the real KITT. I did all my own stunts, drove it around Malibu—it was ridiculous and amazing.”
Margaret Cho didn’t need much convincing. “We’re like-minded freaks,” Roberts laughs. “I said, ‘Hey, Margaret, show up—we’ve got the Knight Rider car.’ She’s like, ‘I’m there.’ Next thing you know, she’s grinding on the hood. Nobody told her to do that. That’s just instinct.”
The video ends with Roberts recreating a David Hasselhoff poster he used to love as a kid, complete with a tray of hard-boiled eggs “just for fun.” It was shot in an unfinished Frank Lloyd Wright house in Malibu, “a shelled-out gorgeous structure,” Roberts says. “I felt like a kid living out his fantasy—just with a drone team and better lighting.”
That sense of play runs through everything he does—from voice acting to music to comedy. “Comedy kind of took over for a while,” he says of his YouTube days and eventual casting on Bob’s Burgers. “Then Big Black Delta came along, and that really got the wheels turning. Finding people you can create with takes time. I’m glad it happened now—I’m Gen X, but we’ve still got energy left.”
He’s not kidding about that. Roberts’ first solo album, Lights Out, featured collaborations with both Debbie Harry and Beth Ditto. “Debbie’s been such a champion,” he says. “She believed in me before I did. Having her support meant so much—it was like, oh, maybe I am a little good at this.”
He later appeared on Blondie’s Pollinator album, singing backup on “Love Level.” “I was so nervous,” he says. “Like, am I gonna screw this up? But it was an honor. They’re true artists. Real rock and roll icons.”
When asked about Harry’s influence, Roberts lights up. “She’s a real friend and mentor,” he says. “And Beth Ditto too—working with strong women like that, it elevates everything. I love collaborating, especially with women. They make me better.”
Between songs, Roberts is still Linda—literally. The writers’ strike paused Bob’s Burgers, but he’s philosophical about it. “We’re shut down until it’s resolved,” he says. “It’s the same story every time. Writers always win in the end. People deserve to make a living—there’s enough to go around.”
As for Linda’s impact, he credits both the writers and his mom. “My mom raised us as a single mom,” he says. “Worked two or three jobs, accepted us for who we were. That’s where Linda comes from. She’s this loving, slightly crazy, totally accepting person. And the writers—especially the women—brought so much depth once they had kids of their own. It’s a really progressive, accepting show.”
In a world that feels increasingly hostile, Roberts thinks Bob’s Burgers still offers a small kind of hope. “It brings people comfort,” he says. “Women are under attack, LGBTQ+ people are under attack—and this silly little cartoon gives people a safe space to laugh. That means something.”
Music, though, is his current mission. He’s working on more singles, plotting live shows, and chasing that elusive sound that feels entirely his. “Performing live is how you get better,” he says. “You’ve gotta get off your ass and do it. Even if it’s some sad little venue with a dozen people. You just keep getting better.”
Watch the interview above and then check out the video below.
