Charli XCX is reportedly ditching the electronic sound that defined her recent work, notably the highly successful "Brat," for her forthcoming eighth album. The singer has stated her next project will lean heavily into rock music, a deliberate move away from dance-driven beats and a departure from the "Brat Summer" phenomenon. The shift is framed by XCX herself as a response to a perceived end of an era, with lyrics from an unreleased track stating: "I think the dance floor is dead/ so now we’re making rock music."
This stylistic pivot follows an intensive period of touring and festival appearances stemming from "Brat," which the artist indicated would make creating a similar dance-leaning album feel "hard" and "sad." Instead, XCX is exploring a more analogue approach, aiming to infuse rock sounds with her distinct perspective. She also indicated that her signature use of Auto-Tune will be "all but gone" on the new record.
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The singer's exploration into rock comes amidst a busy period involving film projects. She recently provided the soundtrack for Emerald Fennell’s "Wuthering Heights," wrote music for Anne Hathaway in "Mother Mary," and is involved in pre-production for a Takashi Miike film. She also starred in and produced the meta mockumentary "The Moment," which concluded the "Brat" campaign.
This move aligns with a broader cultural undercurrent, with reports suggesting other artists, including Beyoncé, are exploring rock influences. XCX herself has previously expressed a desire to make a "Lou Reed record," and worked with Velvet Underground collaborator John Cale on the "Wuthering Heights" soundtrack.
The untitled eighth album, currently referred to as xcx8, is reported to be close to completion. Recording sessions took place in Paris, involving collaborators such as Aidan Zamiri and Alaska. XCX is scheduled to headline Reading & Leeds festivals this August, appearing alongside acts like Fontaines D.C. and Raye.
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