Charli XCX is pivoting to rock for her next album, apparently
The singer says the response to 'Brat' made her crave something opposite
Charli XCX has heavily suggested that her eighth album will mark a significant departure from the dance-driven sound of 'Brat'.
In a conversation with Vogue, during which she played an unreleased track built around electric guitar riffs, Charli laid out her reasoning for the stylistic shift. "I think the dance floor is dead, so now we're making rock music," she stated.
Paris was a deliberate choice for the recording process. "We knew it would be this very hectic, rich time and we like creating in that kind of atmosphere," she explained, noting that she knew she "wanted to go to Paris to do it".
A desire to avoid retreading old ground sits at the heart of the new direction. "If I'd made another album that felt more dance-leaning, it would have felt really hard, really sad," she told Vogue. "What's interesting for me is to bend the possibilities of what my perspective on that could be."
With nearly two decades in the industry behind her, Charli spoke candidly about needing fresh creative challenges. "I've been making music since I was 14. It's nearly 20 years. I feel very spoiled saying this, but there is not much that can thrill me within music any more," she reflected. "For me, it's fun to flip the form. We know there's gonna be people who are bothered by it, but that's fine."
(We are, obviously, still waiting for that Swedish style punk album that seemed to be in the mix around the time of 'Sucker'. The streets never forget. - Ed)
She also addressed the overwhelming response to 'Brat' as a catalyst, explaining that the attention made her "crave something opposite". "Getting back to something more internal is really nice. And really sort of quiet," she shared. "I'd always rather have style than be vague. Which is the biggest crime, in my opinion."
Lyrically, Charli indicated that the record would explore her relationship with creativity rather than her personal life with husband George Daniel of The 1975. "I don't really want to write songs about my husband forever," she admitted. "I'm not sure how interesting that is, and he knows that. If I write about our relationship, I'm probably only really interested in writing about some of the more obscure feelings of being married."
Instead, the thematic core revolves around artistry itself. The main focus, she shared, "is commenting on how I interact with the joint main love of my life outside of George [namely art] and what would happen if that was taken from me. How I would have no purpose, and how for good or bad, art does provide me with purpose in my life."
Producers A.G. Cook, Finn Keane and George Daniel have previously described the follow-up as "anti-Brat", while Charli herself has mentioned "exploring a lot of stuff with strings" alongside the rock elements. Reports indicate that the record is close to completion.
Charli is due to headline Reading & Leeds this August, where she will top the bill alongside Fontaines D.C., Raye, Florence + The Machine, Dave and Chase & Status.
In a conversation with Vogue, during which she played an unreleased track built around electric guitar riffs, Charli laid out her reasoning for the stylistic shift. "I think the dance floor is dead, so now we're making rock music," she stated.
Paris was a deliberate choice for the recording process. "We knew it would be this very hectic, rich time and we like creating in that kind of atmosphere," she explained, noting that she knew she "wanted to go to Paris to do it".
A desire to avoid retreading old ground sits at the heart of the new direction. "If I'd made another album that felt more dance-leaning, it would have felt really hard, really sad," she told Vogue. "What's interesting for me is to bend the possibilities of what my perspective on that could be."
With nearly two decades in the industry behind her, Charli spoke candidly about needing fresh creative challenges. "I've been making music since I was 14. It's nearly 20 years. I feel very spoiled saying this, but there is not much that can thrill me within music any more," she reflected. "For me, it's fun to flip the form. We know there's gonna be people who are bothered by it, but that's fine."
(We are, obviously, still waiting for that Swedish style punk album that seemed to be in the mix around the time of 'Sucker'. The streets never forget. - Ed)
She also addressed the overwhelming response to 'Brat' as a catalyst, explaining that the attention made her "crave something opposite". "Getting back to something more internal is really nice. And really sort of quiet," she shared. "I'd always rather have style than be vague. Which is the biggest crime, in my opinion."
Lyrically, Charli indicated that the record would explore her relationship with creativity rather than her personal life with husband George Daniel of The 1975. "I don't really want to write songs about my husband forever," she admitted. "I'm not sure how interesting that is, and he knows that. If I write about our relationship, I'm probably only really interested in writing about some of the more obscure feelings of being married."
Instead, the thematic core revolves around artistry itself. The main focus, she shared, "is commenting on how I interact with the joint main love of my life outside of George [namely art] and what would happen if that was taken from me. How I would have no purpose, and how for good or bad, art does provide me with purpose in my life."
Producers A.G. Cook, Finn Keane and George Daniel have previously described the follow-up as "anti-Brat", while Charli herself has mentioned "exploring a lot of stuff with strings" alongside the rock elements. Reports indicate that the record is close to completion.
Charli is due to headline Reading & Leeds this August, where she will top the bill alongside Fontaines D.C., Raye, Florence + The Machine, Dave and Chase & Status.
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