If Brat was the album that transformed Charli xcx from cult hyperpop princess into a global icon, her eighth LP promises to be her rockstar reinvention. Her body of work thus far has been one of expansive film soundtracks, prosaic ruminations on the messiness of life, and a healthy dose of chart-topping bangers – and Charli is by no means done pushing the boundaries. “For me, it’s fun to flip the form,” Charli told Vogue of her forthcoming Rock Album™. “We know there’s gonna be people who are bothered by it, but that’s fine.” As we wait with bated breath for xcx8, team Vogue share their favourite Charli xcx tracks, in celebration of her debut appearance on the cover of British Vogue.
Girl, so confusing, featuring Lorde
Girlhood is difficult, between battling the patriarchy, beauty standards and each other (sometimes). Charli unpacked this feeling perfectly in “Girl, so confusing”. The lyrics “man I don’t know, I’m just a girl”, say it all. In my favourite version of the song, Charli settles an infamous, decade-long feud with fellow pop star, Lorde. Seeing my millennial faves “work it out on the remix” inspired me to make up with a past frenemy. Hearts were healed that day. – Ranyechi Udemezue, associate beauty and wellness writer.
Track 10
Charli has been a key part of growing up in London for me – I’ve travelled far and wide in order to see her throw herself across a stage, and every time I’ve left euphoric and desperate for more. “Track 10” encapsulates that feeling of just being with my gays and girls, sunglasses on and screaming along to every word. Charli, as we know, loves a feature, so, please, a moment for the Brat tour “Track 10” rain machine. – Jamie Spence, global visuals director, EU
Vroom Vroom
Sorry, I can’t pick just one. The opening line of “Vroom Vroom” – “let’s ride” – just spells trouble in the best possible way. Teamed with abrasive hyper-pop, aggressive engine roars and a guttural, primal scream that Charli delivers when performing live, it could literally wake me from the dead. – JS
Von dutch
For many reasons, 2024 was quite a pivotal year for me, and brat was one of the albums that helped me through. There are so many memories attached to each and every song – always played at top volume. Mostly they were formed with friends at her Copper Box Arena performance and at Glastonbury, via the thumpier tracks like “Von dutch”, which will always remind me of that fateful period. The tinny beat, revving synth and ear worm lyrics have the ability to ready you for anything, no matter however low you’re feeling. – Alice Cary, senior commerce writer.
Seeing Things
I’m still listening to the Wuthering Heights soundtrack every day on my way into work, staring out of the rainy window of the Metropolitan line and pretending I’m in a corset on the Yorkshire moors. I love this album maybe more than I loved the film itself – and I bought my boyfriend a gold tooth cap and everything. – Nicole Holcroft-Emmess, visuals editor.
Hot Girl (Bodies, Bodies, Bodies)
There are a few songs that could revive me from a coma and this is one of them. With affirmative lyrics like “I’m a hot girl/ rich girl/ I’m a bitch girl”, it’s gotten me through many dark times in my life and is a great one for blasting on the Monday morning commute, or simply when you want to double down on that insufferable zillennial spirit. – Olivia Allen, fashion writer
Everything is romantic, featuring Caroline Polachek
I think I’m in the minority in much preferring Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still Brat – Charli and co’s remix of 2024’s sweaty banger of an album, but everyone else is wrong, and Robyn, Julian Casablancas, Bon Iver, Shygirl and the rest are right. My actual favourite is Ariana Grande’s emo rendition of “Sympathy is a Knife”, but my colleague Daisy Jones bagged that, so I’m going for Caroline Polachek’s take on “Everything is Romantic”, which comes in at a close second. Thanks to CP, I was singing about foxes keeping me awake at night for months, and then I shout-sang this to her face when she guest-appeared with Charli at the O2. Two vixens doing what they do best! – Alice Newbold, fashion features and news director.
Sympathy is a knife
“Sympathy is a knife” is the best song on brat… there, I said it! Euphoric, melancholy and candid in equal measure, this one captures the sort of uncomfortable feelings and thoughts that most of us daren’t say out loud (“I couldn’t even be her if I tried / I’m opposite, I’m on the other side”). Also, those erratic electro claps! That earworm-y melody! The syrupy flourish of the auto-tune! I’ve listened to this while walking home in the rain after a night out more than once. – Daisy Jones, acting news and features editor.
Lightning
Unlike a number of my colleagues here, I cannot claim to be a day one Angel. I’d obviously been aware of who Charli was for a while, and knew a couple songs by way of cultural osmosis, but I wasn’t exactly plugged in. Until November 2022, that is, and a day festival in São Paulo, where I saw Charli play the closing slot on the main stage following Travis Scott. While the latter relied on a pyrotechnic volcano set build to pull out the stops, Charli held an audience of thousands of gurning Brazilian millennials in thrall with nothing but her body and a backing track. This ’80s-inspired synth-pop hit from Crash was what really won me over, as she flung herself about the stage like a ragdoll, belting it out over the track’s jaggy synths. It remains one of the most electric performances I’ve seen. – Mahoro Seward, fashion and style editor.
Gone featuring Rahim Redcar
Social functions are a pretty key part of a job in fashion, but if I’m not properly fed and watered, or I happen to be in the throes of a semi-regular anxiety swell, I can feel a bit spiky on the inside during them. Over the years I’ve figured out how to suck it up, keep calm and carry on, but the first time I heard this – a social anxiety anthem, of sorts – it was like hearing my mind’s inner transcript played. I won’t paste the lyrics here, but they make for a deeply cathartic listen for anyone who’s ever stood in the middle of a full room and felt like they’re standing on the edge – in more ways than one! – MS.
Visions
This is one I’ve found myself coming back ever since its first release during lockdown in 2020. It gets more and more chaotic as it goes on, and I will always have time for Charli’s emotional lyrics over glitchy, hard hitting hyperpop. – Jack O’Neill, fashion assistant.
Fancy
My favourite Charli xcx song has to be “Fancy”, featuring the formidable Iggy Azalea. It really takes me back to that beautiful era of my life where I was walking the fine line between psychosis and personal growth. My prefrontal cortex was developing and, honestly, so were my delusions of grandeur. It was, in every sense, fancy. Knowing Iggy Azalea’s affinity for South Asian culture (just watch the music video for her song “Bounce”) I wonder if she and Charli share a deeper cultural connection. Would “Fancy” exist without it? – Zee Waraich, social video creator.
Guess featuring Billie Eilish
I love “Guess” because it always reminds me of one of my best friends. Whenever I hear it, I instantly think of him and my other best friends dancing around to this song at my wedding afterparty and demanding the DJ play it again (multiple times!) Pure joy! – Milly Tritton, director of content planning.
Next Level Charli
I almost blacked out when I saw Charli at Primavera in 2019 – to the point that I’d have sworn she performed “Next Level Charli”. She didn’t. It must have been “Unlock It”. – Daniel Rodgers, fashion news editor.
Warm, featuring Haim
Put this on the aux after my friend debuted her play at the Royal Court last year. For a moment, I forgot we were on a party bus heading to… Walthamstow. – DR.
party 4 u
First off, I can’t believe no one bagsied this song before me. Perhaps it’s too obvious? Either way, it is my favourite Charli song and with good reason. It’s moody and wistful and big and all encompassing. I’ve seen Charli sing it a handful of times now and every time it knocks me off my feet. YOU COULD WATCH ME PULL UP ON YOUR BODY LIKE IT’S SUMMER TAKE MY CLOTHES OFF IN THE WATER SPLASH AROUND AND GET YOU BLESSED BY HOLY WATER I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU WERE WAITING FOR YOU KNOW THAT I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU. *crying emoji* – Riann Phillip, associate features editor
Main image: Shearling coat, Gucci.