In a landscape of instant gratification, Charli XCX is making something that lasts

Charli XCX is a natural at being a pop star. She churns out so many bangers, there’s enough to share and while that talent for big hooks comes easily, she’s never complacent with it. Each release has seen her push forward. From the black and grey world of ‘True Romance’, through the bubblegum snarl of ‘Sucker’ and onto the glitching rainbow of ‘Vroom Vroom’, there’s been a danger and a gamble to her every turn. It’s exciting because she never stands still. Her latest release is no different. ‘Number 1 Angel’ is a mixtape in name alone as the ten tracks show off new sides to Charli’s ever expanding pop-empire. More than just a throwaway release to help bide her time until the next album, ‘Number 1 Angel’ is important. Every song released means something and this is no different. Rather than dropping it and moving on, the record was bought to life with a handful of intimate club shows around the world. Ahead of Paris and behind New York, San Francisco and an appearance with Mura Masa at Coachella, Charli XCX took to the basement of London’s Jazz Café. And it’s pandemonium from the off. Despite not going back beyond 2016, every track feels like it’s one of her greatest. The opening whirl of ‘Roll with Me’ sees everyone clamber onboard before the starry-eyed hit of ‘Dreamer’ picks up the pace. Electric and uniting, Charli leads the room in hyper-active karaoke. Bounding about the stage, singing into people’s faces and always asking for a little more, it’s tough to tell who’s more excited to be here tonight. Live, the polish of the record is scratched off and replaced with a fiery urgency. The hammer of ‘3AM (Pull Up) hits harder, the introspective romance of ‘White Roses’ unravels and winds its way around the tightly packed room and even the off-kilter skip of ‘Bounce’ makes a strange sort of sense, all tension and release. Despite her ever-changing stance, Charli’s self-empowerment has always remained firm and tonight’s closing one-two sees it light up the room. ‘Lipgloss’ is the most unrelenting thing she’s put her name to and acts as the perfect conclusion to an evening that’s persistently dialled things up before the direct club of ‘Girls Night Out’ (“No boys, no boys. It’s a girls night out”) sees the evening spill out, over and onto the street. Tonight is yet another reminder that Charli XCX is one of the best because she does what she wants. Skipping the hits, her current single and all expectations, her show at the Jazz Café is about belief, meaning and having a good time. In a world of throwaway pop and instant gratification, Charli XCX is making something that lasts.