Carly Rae Jepsen was answering a question about whether her music could ever turn up on Heated Rivalry when she slipped in a much more personal piece of information.
The 40-year-old singer revealed that her first child with husband Cole M.G.N. is a boy named Ilya. She then playfully connected the name to one of her favorite television shows during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
Ilya is also the first name of Ilya Rozanov, the Russian hockey star played by Connor Storrie in Heated Rivalry. Jepsen stopped just short of declaring the character a definite namesake, saying, “Ilya is the name of my son. Maybe, not maybe because of that show.”
The reveal comes roughly six months after Jepsen announced the arrival of her first child without sharing the baby’s sex or name. It also creates an unusual connection between her family life and her music career. Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney had already considered asking her to write an original song for the series.
Jepsen Stopped Short of Calling Ilya a Definite Namesake
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Jepsen brought up her son while discussing Heated Rivalry ahead of the Sept. 18 release of her double album Day and Night. Asked whether Tierney had contacted her about contributing music, she said he had not but described the possibility as “a dream.”
She then made clear just how much she likes the series. “It was an incredible show,” Jepsen said before revealing her son’s name and adding the deliberately slippery “maybe, not maybe” explanation.
Heated Rivalry premiered on Crave and HBO Max in November 2025, while Jepsen welcomed her baby in early March 2026. Storrie’s Ilya is one half of the show’s central romance with Shane Hollander, played by Hudson Williams.
Tierney Wanted Jepsen for Season 1 but Never Asked
The admiration between Jepsen and the series predates her new interview. Tierney previously revealed that her music was part of the playlist he listened to while writing Heated Rivalry and that he had considered asking her to create something specifically for the show.
The invitation never actually happened. Speaking on the What Chaos! podcast, Tierney said he “didn’t even try” to approach Jepsen for the first season because the production did not have the budget he believed would be required.
He had been thinking beyond simply licensing one of her existing songs. Tierney said he had considered asking whether Jepsen would write an original track and added that he would “definitely be asking next time.” In her new interview, she said Tierney had not contacted her about Season 2 while making it clear that she would be enthusiastic if the opportunity came.
She Kept Ilya’s Name and Sex Private for Six Months
Jepsen and Cole first announced that they were expecting a child in November 2025. She posted a series of black-and-white photographs showing her baby bump alongside her husband and captioned them simply, “Oh hi baby.”
On March 17, Jepsen revealed that the baby had arrived by sharing a mirror selfie while holding the newborn. “Last 2 weeks have been the best of my life,” she wrote, adding, “Welcome to the world little one.”
Jepsen and Cole, whose full name is Cole Marsden Greif-Neill, married on Oct. 4, 2025, at New York’s Chelsea Hotel. According to Vogue’s wedding report, they first met during a songwriting session in May 2021, became friends and collaborators, began dating in 2022 and got engaged in Italy in September 2024.
A Carly Rae Jepsen Song Could Still Reach Season 2
Season 2 is already moving forward. Production began in August, with Storrie and Williams returning as Ilya and Shane. The latest Crave announcement also adds Milla Jovovich, Kevin Zegers and Paul Gross to a cast that includes Justice Smith, Charlie Gillespie, Daniel Diemer and Shaheen Jafargholi.
Crave officially lists the new season for spring 2027. The larger success of the first season may also make its music options different this time around, although Tierney’s earlier comments make clear that budget limitations shaped what he could pursue during Season 1.
Jepsen has a more immediate release on the calendar. Interscope Records lists her 24-song double album Day and Night, divided into 12 Day tracks and 12 Night tracks, for release on Sept. 18.