Charli xcx’s 8th album confronts fame with candor, vulnerability and guts
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Quick — what’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say Charli xcx? If you said “BRAT” or a party girl, you’re probably thinking the same thing as everyone else.
In Charli’s newest album, “Music, Fashion, Film,” she’d like to change those answers.
Released on Friday, the album is a follow-up to “BRAT” — the 2024 album that established her as a cultural phenomenon (and continues to do so) two years ago. Admittedly, I expected “Music, Fashion, Film” to include the same level of thrashing, high-energy club music from “BRAT.” It was only logical for Charli to create an album that would put her on a pedestal once again, right? However, Charli stated it would’ve been “really sad” if she made “BRAT” 2.0, and I wholeheartedly agree.
With only 11 songs, Charli’s newest album’s 30-minute runtime is the shortest in her discography. Yet, it’s extremely candid, providing an insight into Charli’s life after “BRAT.”
The success of “BRAT” found Charli as busy as ever in the months to follow. She starred and produced in her mockumentary “The Moment,” released a soundtrack to Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights,” went on her sold-out tour and starred in multiple fashion campaigns and movies — she deserves a break. While her “BRAT” stardom saw her gain immense commercial exposure, it also forced Charli to confront the realities of fame. “Music, Fashion, Film,” details the pressures resulting from “BRAT”’s success, highlighting the unrealistic expectations set on being a celebrity and her own artistic identity.
The opening track, “Rock Music,” touches on these themes. Immediately, an electric guitar riff introduces the album, which is complemented by Charli’s pop vocals. In “Rock Music,” Charli details the never-ending rush she felt during her “BRAT” era. Going on from one project to the next, the grind never stopped, until Charli suffered nerve damage while on tour. The physical toll on Charli’s body was a wake-up call that fame was negatively impacting her.
“Rock Music” also pivots away from Charli’s typical EDM music. Even before “BRAT,” Charli had a talent for making high-thumping music, back when she was an underground musician at the age of 14. Thus, when “Rock Music” was released as a single in May, there was a polarizing discourse about Charli’s shift away from her usual sound. Most of the critiques were attached to the lyric: “I think the dance floor is dead / So now we’re making rock music.” The line was so controversial that it even reached Madonna.
However, with the song featuring a grunge rhythm tinged with rebellion (think early 2000s Avril Lavigne), “Rock Music” not only conveys Charli’s true feelings about fame, but it’s a nice switch into a different genre, proving Charli’s a musician of all styles.
Charli’s rant about fame continues on “SS26,” arguably her most introspective song on the album. She states that artists are never safe when it comes to expressing their own opinion — there’s a constant “need to be on the right side of every single conversation,” Charli said in an interview with influencer Nicky Reardon.
Charli hints at the time when she entered the political realm with her X post, “kamala IS brat,” during the 2024 presidential election. This declaration became viral for all the wrong reasons as presidential candidate Kamala Harris embraced “BRAT” fever. Some people began associating Harris with Charli’s party-girl and club aesthetic, and Charli found herself in the middle of political controversy. While Charli should be free to express whatever her opinions are, “SS26” explains the standards she’s held to — whatever Charli says will be scrutinized.
“Nothing’s gonna save us, not music, fashion or film,” Charli sings drearily in “SS26.”
Once again, fame becomes the center of conversation with “Camera” and “2007.” Set in the context of being an actor (as seen in her music video with actor Vincent Cassel), “Camera” discusses the idea of Charli finding something “new” and “undiscovered” about herself every time she’s making art — even if she’s unhappy with the outcome. But the fame attached to being a musician also makes her want to throw her life away. If Charli could go back to a time where she was unknown but still making music, she’d return to the start of her career, back in “2007.”
While the pressures and unrealistic expectations of being a celebrity are a constant thread throughout the album, my favorite aspect of the album was whenever Charli talked about her artistic identity.
Charli’s music career began at 14 years old when she uploaded demos on Myspace and performed at London raves. Her discography has long been filled with pop, hyperpop and EDM tracks, maintaining her high-energy music even in collaborations with Icona Pop and Iggy Azalea. Charli’s already proved she can branch into grunge with “Rock Music,” and she continues to explore her artistic self with “Magic Metal Montana” and “No One Lasts Forever.”
“Magic Metal Montana” is an ode to Charli’s longtime producer A.G. Cook, who she’s worked with since 2015. The pair have shaped the landscape of modern pop — Charli with iconic releases like “BRAT” and “Vroom Vroom” and Cook founding the hyperpop record label PC Music. “Magic Metal Montana” is a sweet testament to Charli’s admiration for Cook, who has been integral to her artistic identity. As a fan of both Charli and Cook, this song truly warmed my heart.
In the album’s final track, “No One Lasts Forever,” Charli brings in director David Cronenberg, one of her main artistic inspirations. The message is in the song title, and Charli first applies this concept when talking about her own reputation. Though Charli had to handle the scrutiny of her infamous party-girl reputation, she admitted the criticism didn’t matter; what mattered was being alive in the moment.
“‘Cause nothing’s gonna last forever / But you need to discover that feeling / Of the crushing highs and lows of ego,” Charli sings.
The second part of the song revolves around a monologue from Cronenberg where he focuses on what it means to have a lasting legacy as an artist. Artists throughout history have created works with enduring influence, Cronenberg said; however, the artist will only experience that fame for a few years and will never understand the scope of their influence.
The more than five-minute-long song ends with Cronenberg repeating the line “They are dead, they are gone, no one lasts forever” in a deep, hypnotizing voice for the last minute and a half. It’s an eerie conclusion to a vulnerable album, but it leaves you thinking about always living life to the fullest. The track illustrates that life isn’t about leaving a lasting legacy but being present in each waking moment.
Charli’s eighth album proves to be her most different. It’s a successful attempt at departing from her usual genres, proving her versatility. In “Music, Fashion, Film,” Charli is up close and personal with her fame and candid about her artistic expression.
While Charli has been in the spotlight the past few years (and should continue to be), she’s also brought in other renowned artists — not just Cassel and Cronenberg. The album cover features John Cale of The Velvet Underground, fashion luminary Marc Jacobs and legendary director Martin Scorsese. While the grunge-pop-leaning album provides an insight into Charli’s personal life, incorporating other artistic veterans proves that the album is not only for her fans, but for Charli as well.
