Phoebe Gates is no stranger to the world's elite, but don't expect her to know who's who in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The 22-year-old daughter of Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates just proved that even growing up in one of the most high-profile families on the planet doesn't make you immune to hilarious pop culture blind spots.
During an April 30 appearance on "Call Her Daddy," Phoebe sat with host Alex Cooper and her business partner Sophia Kianni to chat about their new shopping app, Phia. But the conversation took a wildly entertaining musical detour somewhere between tech talk and startup hustle.
Cooper asked the billion-dollar question: "Are you a Beatles person?"
Cue Phoebe's instant confession: "Oh man, it's so bad. Like, I'm so bad at music... My family, we're so nerdy. I knew nothing about music. I knew about tech stuff growing up, not music stuff."
That lack of musical knowledge caught up with her in a big way early in her relationship with Arthur Donald, the grandson of Sir Paul McCartney and son of Mary McCartney.
The Elton John Incident
One of Phoebe's earliest outings with Arthur's family involved seeing Elton John live in concert. "I remember like early on, he was so excited. He thought he was going to rizz me," she said with a laugh. "He took me to an Elton John concert. And Elton John comes out in like a bedazzled track suit. I'm like, 'Is Elton John gay?'"
The moment sent Arthur's entire family into fits of laughter, and now it's an inside joke they constantly mention.
To answer her question, Elton has proudly married David Furnish since 2014.
Love, Laughs, and Lack of Serenading
Despite his legendary lineage, Phoebe confirmed that Arthur Donald hasn't exactly inherited the family's musical chops. "Unfortunately, Arthur does not have any musical talent," she joked. "I've been trying to get him to serenade me for a very long time, but it has not happened."
Still, that hasn't stopped their relationship from going strong. The couple, who have been dating for almost two years, made their Instagram account official in Paris last October.
And while Phoebe might be expanding her musical horizons, her taste in men clearly comes with a built-in test: surviving a Bill Gates introduction. "My past boyfriends were totally intimidated," she admitted. "I think it's terrifying for the guy, but for me? It's hilarious."
One high school memory sticks out in particular. Bill chauffeured Phoebe and her then-boyfriend to a dance, forcing them to listen to NPR the whole way there. As if that wasn't enough, he stopped for fast food and called her date by the wrong name. "I literally wanted to die," she laughed.
But things have changed. These days, she said her dad is much more sociable, something she proudly takes credit for. At those classic dad-daughter dances, she insisted he mingle. "I was like, 'No. If we're here, we're gonna socialize. We've gotta work this room, Bill.'"
Finding Her Beat
While Phoebe may have grown up in a world filled with code, philanthropy, and awkward fast-food pit stops, she's now carving her path and rhythm. Between co-launching a buzzy Gen Z shopping platform and navigating her way through rock royalty family dinners, she's bringing a healthy dose of humor, humility, and "Did she really just say that?" charm to the table.