Charli XCX says she feared being dropped from her label over hit Brat album

By Jessica Coates, PA

Pop star Charli XCX thought her label might drop her over her 2024 hit album Brat.

The 32-year-old singer, whose real name is Charlotte Aitchison, spoke to Gwyneth Paltrow on the actress’s Goop podcast about her mindset while making the record.

“I actually made this record being like, ‘OK, I’m just going to do this one for me,” she told Paltrow.

“Maybe I’m going to get dropped by my label and that’s fine’. That was kind of the headspace that I was in.”

The album, released in June 2024, peaked at number one in the UK and reached the top 10 in 14 other countries, earning nine Grammy nominations and winning three.

Following the release of the Brat album, Charli’s infectious electronic-pop tracks soared up the charts and inspired a viral dance trend, with fans embracing the “Brat summer” cultural movement.

The accolades followed and in March she dominated the Brit Awards, winning five categories, including songwriter of the year.

She also secured album of the year, artist of the year, dance act and song of the year for a version of her track Guess featuring Billie Eilish.

Her next album, the singer said, will be “inherently” different from Brat.

“I really like to work in contrast. I think whatever I do next will just inherently be different to Brat because that’s what feels natural,” she said.

“I’m exploring a lot of stuff with strings at the moment, which I’m really enjoying and I haven’t really worked in that space before.”

Her new creative direction includes acting roles in a remake of the 1978 film Faces of Death and in The Gallerist, alongside Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortega. Both projects are already in post-production.

She will also star in and co-produce The Moment, an A24 film featuring Alexander Skarsgård, Rosanna Arquette, and Kylie Jenner.

I really like to work in contrast. I think whatever I do next will just inherently be different to Brat because that’s what feels natural

“I love making music, but I think there was just a point where I was like, I really need to exercise my creativity in a different way,” she said.

“I don’t actually really listen to that much music… what I am doing is I’m always watching films.”

The Apple hitmaker also touched on her recent marriage to The 1975 drummer and record producer George Daniel, as well as her thoughts about starting a family — a topic she explored on her Brat track I Think About It All the Time.

“There’s still a bit of stigma around women who don’t want children,” she said.
“I swing between the two. Right now, I’m on the side of, ‘I’m not sure that’s for me,’ but that could change.”

Charli said she met Daniel, 35, through The 1975’s frontman Matty Healy, but the pair bonded during an Australian festival tour when they realised “there’s a spark”.

“From there, we were working on one song, and it just sort of blossomed. It was very sweet, very innocent,” she said.