Here’s the truth, and I gotta be honest, Charli XCX’s new album is a hit, I promise.
The British pop artist ditched the neons and club classics from her “Brat” era and the literary tones of “Wuthering Heights” and opted for a black-and-white, vulnerable theme in her latest record, “Music, Fashion, Film,” which dropped Friday.
The album dedicates itself to highlighting the impacts of music, fashion and film on her life in the spotlight. It’s not painted to be incredibly glamorous or fun. One line in the song “SS26” says “We’re walking on a runway that goes straight to hell. Nothing’s gonna save us, not music, fashion or film.”
The dramatic black-and-white album cover is quite captivating and unique, showcasing three greats of each respective industry: musician John Cale, designer Marc Jacobs and filmmaker Martin Scorsese.
“Music, Fashion, Film” is shockingly different from Charli XCX’s previous albums, especially her arguably most famous, “Brat.” The lyricism is more cynical.
This album feels the most vulnerable and realistic to the feelings and experiences of Charli XCX. The closest the audience saw her in this manner was in her recent film “The Moment,” a satire of her life following “Brat” and the directions she could have gone.
“I know it’s not chic to be the last person at the party,” her character in the film states. “But I hate going home.”
This line is supposed to represent how she feels about her “Brat” era, but it feels like it represents the new album in a different way. With “Brat,” she wanted to hold onto the era for as long as possible, and she was willing to give up a lot of herself for the album and its aesthetic.
“Music, Fashion, Film” feels like the drive home from the party. You’re trying to hold onto all of the memories and excitement, but you’re faced with the sudden quiet of being by yourself in the backseat of an Uber, the thrumming adrenaline fading in the rearview.
When I first listened to the whole album, it felt like being at the club while on SSRIs. It’s fun, and it’s upbeat, but there are numerous moments of sadness, loneliness and bitterness stringed along a techno beat and intense electric guitar.
Despite how different it feels for the musician, the overall album is still incredibly Charli XCX. It has the same motifs and signature sounds that have been present since her early “Boom Clap” days, the same things separating her from other artists.
Charli XCX explains her own internal turmoil in her life, from her own fears to her struggles being seen at such a high volume.
In “Camera,” she sings “Do I wanna make music? Am I being f—--' stupid/If I try to be a girl on the screen when I'm turning 34?” and “It's like I'm looking down the barrel of a gun (f—--- shoot me).”
In “I’m Afraid,” she sings “I'm a wife, I'm a kid, I'm destroyed, I'm a b—-, I'm too drunk, I can't sleep, I can't feel, I'm afraid.”
She also makes fun of criticisms against her, like in “Wink, Wink.” She mocks people who want her to be PG, emphasizing that her brand is not family friendly, and she’s unapologetically herself.
She released four singles prior to the album’s release. “Rock Music,” which inspired a TikTok trend shortly after its release; “SS26;” “Wink, Wink” and “Camera.” Music videos accompanied all of the singles’ releases.
The four singles were arguably the best choice to represent the album. They each gave a snippet into what the entirety of the album represented and allowed the artist to separate herself from her previous eras and mark the beginning of this one. “Rock Music” was the perfect first single to be released to usher in the new aesthetic.
It’s definitely an album I will find myself listening to on loop, arguably more than I ever did with “Brat.” It’s a beautiful tribute to life, emotion, art and experiences.
“They are dead, they are gone, no one lasts forever” is the last lyric of the album, repeated by director David Cronberg on “No one Lasts Forever.” For an album so real, vulnerable and artistic, it’s the best send-off Charli XCX could have chosen.
Contact Mackenzie Haas at mhaas@alligator.org.
