Charli XCX teases ‘elegant and brutal’ new Wuthering Heights song with John Cale

By Lauren Del Fabbro, PA Entertainment Reporter

Pop star Charli XCX has teased an “elegant and brutal” new song from the upcoming Wuthering Heights soundtrack with The Velvet Underground’s John Cale.

Following her Brat triumph, the singer, 33, whose real name is Charlotte Aitchison, announced earlier this year that she was writing the soundtrack for Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of the novel by Emily Brontë.

On Thursday she shared a 10-second clip of her new song, House, which will be released on November 10 and features the 60s rock band co-founder Cale.

The singer appears in the gothic teaser lying on the ground with someone’s hands pressed on the side of her head as she looks into the camera before it cuts to what appears to be a raven whose foot is tied to a leash.

Cale is heard saying: “Can I speak to you privately for a moment?”

Opening up about the writing process, the singer posted a statement on her Instagram story which said: “After being so in the depths of my previous album I was excited to escape into something entirely new, entirely opposite.

“When I think of Wuthering Heights I think of many things. I think of passion and pain. I think of England. I think of the Moors, I think of the mud and the cold. I think of determination and grit.”

She also shared that she felt inspired by Todd Haynes’ 2021 documentary about The Velvet Underground and the way Cale described the band’s need to have songs that were both “elegant and brutal”.

“I got really stuck on that phrase,” she added.

“When working on music for this film, ‘elegant and brutal’ was a phrase I kept coming back to.

“When the summer ended I was still ruminating on John’s words. So I decided to reach out to him to get his opinion on the songs that his phrase had so deeply inspired, but also to see whether he might want to collaborate on any.

“We got connected, we spoke on the phone and wow.. that voice, so elegant, so brutal. I sent him songs and we started talking specifically about House. We spoke about the idea of a poem. He recorded something and sent it to me. Something that only John could do. And it was…well, it made me cry.”

The Welsh musician co-founded the rock band alongside singer-songwriter Lou Reed, with its original five-person line-up completed by guitarist Sterling Morrison, drummer Moe Tucker and singer Nico.

The group are best known for their hit songs Sunday Morning, There She Goes Again, Venus In Furs and Heroin.

She added: “I feel so lucky to have been able to work with John on this song. I’ve been so excited to share it with you all, sitting quietly in anticipation. And on Monday, it’s yours.”

House will be released on Monday, while Fennell’s psychological thriller, which stars Barbie actress Margot Robbie and Saltburn star Jacob Elordi, will premiere in February 2026.