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CHARLI XCX covers the new issue of ROLLING STONE UK

Charli XCX, Rolling Stone UK, Rolling Stone, Satellite 414, Singer, Songwriter, Pop Music, Pop Singer, Pop Artist, Pop, Hyperpop, Barbie, Barbie Movie, Starbucks, Pop Culture

Female pop stars have been lying to us about how they feel, and Charli XCX – who covers the June/July 2024 issue of Rolling Stone UK – is here to share some truths! The insecurity, competitiveness, ambition, pride and intelligence necessary to be a relevant celebrity are plainly on display in her new club album, brat — and it makes for addictive listening. After the hyperpop star’s last album Crash hit number one in the UK, she followed the well-received record with ‘Speed Drive’, her song from the Barbie movie soundtrack.

Her new music turns the dial up and delivers a riot of rave and dance that demands attention, while being a love letter to womanhood. She talks to Rolling Stone UK about being conflicted on becoming a mother, being jealous of other female artists, and how her music would only be played in Starbucks by a twink.

Charli XCX, Rolling Stone UK, Rolling Stone, Satellite 414, Singer, Songwriter, Pop Music, Pop Singer, Pop Artist, Pop, Hyperpop, Barbie, Barbie Movie, Starbucks, Pop Culture
Charli XCX, Rolling Stone UK, Rolling Stone, Satellite 414, Singer, Songwriter, Pop Music, Pop Singer, Pop Artist, Pop, Hyperpop, Barbie, Barbie Movie, Starbucks, Pop Culture

Charli XCX on being jealous of other women and harnessing the feeling to better her art:
“Being jealous is somehow wrongly equated to not supporting women or not being a girl’s girl, which isn’t true. You can, I think, experience envy and still be a good person who champions other women. Jealousy is just not a very sexy feeling, or a sexy characteristic really, is it? If you were just chill and happy, you probably wouldn’t be working in this industry at the level that I am, you know? There’s a competitive nature to this industry, and I think you have to choose how to harness it, or not.”

Charli XCX on questioning whether to have children:
“Am I less of a woman if I don’t have a kid? Will I feel like I’ve missed out on my purpose in life? I know we’re not supposed to say that, but it’s this biological and social programming. There’s a lot of pressure on women to not talk about that stuff super openly, especially not in pop music or in music generally; we’re supposed to be sexy and free and fun and wild.”

Charli XCX on club music:
“Club electronic music is what makes me feel most alive. My nightmare is going to see a pop show or, like, a band… It’s sadness and beauty and stillness — it does something to me almost chemically, I think.”

Charli XCX on how her music should be heard:
“I love hearing my own music at parties. For me, the best setting is listening to it out and very loud because you’re not supposed to hear it in a Starbucks, and you probably never will — unless there’s a twink who’s the manager.”

Charli XCX, Rolling Stone UK, Rolling Stone, Satellite 414, Singer, Songwriter, Pop Music, Pop Singer, Pop Artist, Pop, Hyperpop, Barbie, Barbie Movie, Starbucks, Pop Culture

Charli XCX on negative fan reaction to the album artwork for brat:
“I think the constant demand for access to women’s bodies and faces in our album artwork is misogynistic and boring… I’m not trying to give you something pretty, I’m trying to make you think. I’m trying to make you look at yourself and wonder why it bothers you so much that my face isn’t on the cover? What does that say about pop culture that that is so bothersome to you? What does that say about what you expect from your artists? What does that say about me as an artist? Does it make me stupid to do that? Does it make me brave to do that? Does it make me lazy to do that?”