Charli XCX: An Evolution of Style and Sound

If there was a music video that defined a very specific time in mid-2010s fashion, for me it would undoubtedly be Charli XCX’s electro-pop classic 'Superlove'. In a striped, skintight, off-shoulder dress, messy do, and sky-high platform trainers, the English singer embodied the electric 90s revival that defined a growing population of digital magpies; the Tumblr generation. A decade since the burgeoning pop-pioneer traipsed around the neon-lit streets of Tokyo’s Shinjuku district, a lot has changed both sonically and stylistically as the musician drops her latest music video, '360'. Or has it?

An original MySpace artist, the early years of Charli XCX were birthed on the social media precursor where the teen was discovered by promoters who would hire her for London warehouse parties. From there, she signed her first record deal and landed a career-defining collaboration with Icona Pop, as a co-writer on ‘I Love It’. You know, that song that’s really big in Germany? Countless collaborations and five studio albums later, the artist's journey from creative rebel to experimental It-girl, has been anything but your typical popstar trajectory. To unpack the artists’ evolution across music and fashion, we turned to the experts who have been following along since the very beginning. Charli’s Angels.

'Charli has always exuded a unique and cool style. It's one of the main reasons I became a fan,' says the anonymous individual behind @fckyeahcharli on X. The fan behind the fan account has amassed their own following of over fifty-thousands followers, ravenous for the latest on the artist. They cite Charli XCX's Tumblr as a digital canvas reflecting her eclectic, artistic vision, as an early resource into the insight of the pop rebel. 'The world she built through her references and visuals was incredibly engaging, and it's what drew me into becoming a devoted fan from the moment I first discovered her music.'

This visual world would ultimately set the scene for the recurring Charli XCX codes that first became clear with the release of her 2013 debut album, True Romance. 'She clearly understands the internet', wrote Pitchfork in their review. The album was defined by a mishmash of references that defined the era's alt-girl zeitgeist. Vibrant throwbacks to 80s synth-pop and the brattiness of 90s girl groups a la the Spice Girls are tinged with rebellious nostalgia and nods to goth pioneers like The Cure's Robert Smith. The title is a reference to Tarantino's high-octane romance, which established Charli XCX as a fearless innovator in the pop music landscape, setting the stage for her continued evolution as an artist in the years to come.

The following year she released her sophomore album Sucker which took a lot of her towards a more mainstream pop aesthetic. Still, her rebellious, punk-infused sensibilities and unapologetic attitude continued with singles like 'Famous' and 'Break The Rules'. The latter features a cameo by Rose McGowen in the music video, an early example of the artist's fascination (and proximity) with the culturally arbitrary 'it-girl'.

Throughout the era, Charli embraced a bold and eclectic style characterized by vibrant colours, playful patterns, and edgy accessories. Nods to the 90s continued with crop tops, leather jackets, fishnets, and platforms. The era was also a glimpse into Charli's commercial prowess. 'Boom Clap' which was recorded for the 'Fault in Our Stars' soundtrack peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart and was followed by her collaboration with Iggy Azealia for 'Fancy' landing her first Grammy nomination.

'She had the whole Tumblr community in a chokehold,' says Leon who first discovered her on the microblogging website. 'Her whole artistry has always been very unique and fresh, and she's been the blueprint for many trends in pop culture. The thing about Charli is that she always predicts where the industry is going to be next.’

While the commercial appeal of Sucker propelled XCX to the mainstream consciousness, her next move would sow the seeds for her solidifying her status as a certified cult classic. In 2015, she began working alongside hyper-pop pioneer AG Cook and his collective, PC Music. For the artist, this was a turning point in her creative process,telling Zane Lowe, 'I couldn't force myself to be moulded. Every fibre of my being was saying 'no''.

It was during this period that XCX's outlook on pop took its most experimental turn. AG Cook introduced her to the late producer and musical mystic SOPHIE, and the trio set forth to challenge the traditions of pop music. Together they birthed the crowd-pleaser, 'Vroom Vroom', complete with a dark, industrial music video to accompany the layered, bass-heavy beat and distorted synths of the track. A stark departure from the candy-coated veneer of her past projects, being influenced by the queer underground altered the trajectory of her career in the years that followed.

Their collaborations resulted in critically acclaimed projects like Charli's self-titled album in 2019, which received widespread praise for its bold experimentation and boundary-pushing sound and her fourth studio album How I'm Feeling Now which continued to play with hyperpop's industrial-inspired sound and rave. ‘I feel like brat has elements of a lot of different eras so far, but it feels like a homage to club/rave culture in a similar way to Vroom Vroom,' says fan Lilah.

brat, XCX's upcoming sixth studio album follows another era marked by commercial success. Her fifth studio album, Crash, one of XCX's creatively cohesive projects explored the tried-and-true notions of the ups and downs of fame. As her first UK Number 1 album, Crash also saw the singer embraced by the fashion industry like never before as the face of JW Anderson's Bumper bag, and becoming a front row fashion week fixture.

'I would describe her new style as tasteful, understated, and individualistic,' explains fashion journalist Hunter Shires. 'What I admire about Charli’s style during the brat era is the lack of heavy branding. As Noah P. Dillion once said to me, 'turning a look is over'. And I couldn't agree more. Fashion has exhausted its possibilities, and it feels like we've seen it all. Social media platforms ruined the concept of looks with the overconsumption element, rendering it meaningless.'

The sentiment was echoed by Charli XCX Updates: '[Her] style has undergone a remarkable transformation. Becoming more provocative yet sophisticated, embodying the very essence of a brat. Her taste has evolved into more refined, luxurious designs, reflecting a natural progression in her personal and artistic growth.'

XCX's high-fashion proclivities culminated in her first-ever Vogue cover shot by Nick Knight for Vogue Singapore's April issue. Donning this season's Bottega Veneta, Ferragamo, and Mugler the editorial embodies the artist's 'hot girl' persona from the music video for her lead single 'Von dutch'.

‘The Vogue Singapore shoot with Nick Knight was really unexpected, and surreal. It almost feels like looking at Greek mythology through fashion images. The 3D film feels like it’s a truly immersive experience for fans to experience photoshoots,' says Shao, a fan from China. ‘She doesn’t even need to try to be cool. Charli is forever that girl’.

It's a sentiment that could define her stylistic narrative as the rollout to brat comes closer. In her latest music video, '360', XCX is joined by a cohort of today's 'it girls', including Julia Fox, Rachel Sennot, Gabriette, and the progenitor of them all Chloë Sevigny. ‘One aspect that has come full circle is her hair,' explains XCX Updates. 'The big, rebellious styles that defined her during the True Romance days are making a resurgence, delighting fans who've always seen her hair as a standout trait'.

Hair isn't the only strand of consistency for the artist known for defying expectations. 'What hasn't changed since True Romance is Charli XCX's approach to her artistry and her ability to reinvent herself, she’s been the blueprint for many industry trends, we wouldn’t have a lot of artists if it wasn’t for her and her vision,' says Leon. 'She continues to push boundaries and experiment with her sound and style, maintaining authenticity and creativity throughout her career, elements I think are very rare in this day and age.'