Freedom in Oblivion: Charli XCX on Artistry

‘Music, Fashion, Film’ – the newest chart-topping record from Charli XCX crushes electric guitars with stiletto heels and kisses goodbye to the Brat era and subsequent hiatus. Raw instrumentation inaugurates a shift towards electronic pop-rock, and live drums over glitchy synths define one of the most ambitious albums in the artist’s catalogue. Colouring outside the lines of Charli’s vulnerable and provocative conversations with herself, ragged transitions between jagged guitar textures give this record a messy confidence that is refreshing yet familiar for fans. Charli XCX takes this opportunity to pivot away from 2024’s ‘moment’, royally unbothered by the pressures of an anticipated follow-up. Still, reinvention and evolution never stray too far from the fun, silly and charming modes of her chaotic and beloved personality. 

Reflections on Music, Fashion, Film inevitably revel in the superficialities of stardom and glamour however, and this release feels at times flashy, egotistical and indulgent. Self-obsessed confessions and surface-level lyricism, whilst earnest, often lack depth, nuance or any potential for relatability. In songs like Card Declined and 2007, one is unsure just how satirical Charli intends to be, despite her obvious interest in how she is being perceived. On this project, we see another side to the singer, but perhaps it was the simple geometry that made up the plane and honest mirror Brat held to its audience.

Fortunately, by virtue of this album’s collaborative nature, co-producers A.G. Cook and Finn Keane smooth over cracks and polish a new sound that retains the markings of their unmistakable influence as well as Charli’s brand. John Cale, Marc Jacobs and Martin Scorsese make notable features on the albums classic, black-and-white cover art, respectively representing a discipline of the title’s trisector and the record’s overall sophisticated atmosphere. With an album so intensely introspective, it is relieving to see Charli balance her own pursuits by inviting the voices and talents of others. Such culminates in a momentous cameo from David Cronenberg: speaking over the album’s wicked outro ‘No One Lasts Forever’, he baptises Charli as a worthy icon over the lifespan in which she reigns. Across Music, Fashion, Film, Charli XCX finds ‘freedom in oblivion’ and leaves the listener captivated, ever uncertain over what she’ll do next.