Charli XCX
Charlotte Emma Aitchison (born 2 August 1992), known professionally as Charli xcx, is a British singer, songwriter, and actress. She began posting songs on Myspace in 2008 before becoming involved in the London rave scene. After signing with Asylum Records in 2010, she released a series of singles and mixtapes in the… Read moreShow less
Charlotte Emma Aitchison (born 2 August 1992), known professionally as Charli xcx, is a British singer, songwriter, and actress. She began posting songs on Myspace in 2008 before becoming involved in the London rave scene. After signing with Asylum Records in 2010, she released a series of singles and mixtapes in the early 2010s. In 2012, she co-wrote and provided vocals for Icona Pop's "I Love It", which became her first number-one single in the United Kingdom and achieved international success. Her debut studio album, "True Romance", was released in 2013. In 2014, Charli xcx was featured on Iggy Azalea's single "Fancy", which topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the year's best-selling singles worldwide. The same year, she released "Boom Clap", which became her first solo top-ten single in the United States. Her second studio album, "Sucker" (2014), included the singles "Break the Rules" and "Doing It", featuring Rita Ora. From 2015, she increasingly worked with producers associated with the British collective PC Music, developing a more experimental musical style. She released the EP "Vroom Vroom" in 2016 and the mixtapes "Number 1 Angel" and "Pop 2" in 2017. Her third studio album, "Charli" (2019), included the single "1999", a collaboration with Troye Sivan. Her fourth studio album, "How I'm Feeling Now" (2020), was written and recorded during the COVID-19 lockdowns and received critical acclaim. Charli xcx's fifth studio album, "Crash" (2022), became her first number-one album in the United Kingdom and Australia. She contributed the single "Speed Drive" to the soundtrack of the 2023 film "Barbie". Her sixth studio album, "Brat" (2024), became her second UK number-one album and received widespread critical acclaim. The album included the UK top-ten single "Apple", while its remix album produced her second UK number-one single, "Guess", featuring Billie Eilish. "Brat" and its songs received three Grammy Awards: Best Dance Pop Recording for "Von Dutch", Best Dance/Electronic Album, and Best Recording Package. The album's visual style and public reception contributed to a cultural phenomenon known as "Brat Summer". Charli xcx also expanded her work in film during this period, appearing in the 2025 films "Erupcja", "Sacrifice", and "100 Nights of Hero", and the 2026 films "I Want Your Sex" and "Faces of Death". She produced and starred in Aidan Zamiri's film "The Moment" (2026). Her seventh studio album, "Wuthering Heights", was released in 2026 and also served as the soundtrack to the film of the same name. Her eighth studio album, "Music, Fashion, Film", was released later that year. In addition to her solo work, Charli xcx has co-written songs for other artists, including Iggy Azalea's "Beg for It" (2014), Selena Gomez's "Same Old Love" (2015), Will.i.am's "Boys & Girls" (2016), Blondie's "Tonight" (2017), Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello's "Señorita" (2019), Sigala and Rita Ora's "You for Me" (2021), and Katseye's "Gabriela" (2025). She received the ASCAP Global Impact Award in 2024 and was included on Gold House's 2024 A100 list. Charlotte Emma Aitchison was born in Cambridge, England, on 2 August 1992. She is the only child of Shameera, a nurse and former flight attendant, and Jon Aitchison, an entrepreneur and talent agent. Her mother was born into a Muslim family of Gujarati Indian descent in Uganda and moved to England after the expulsion of Asians under the government of Idi Amin. Her father is Scottish. She grew up in Start Hill, Essex, and spent weekends with her maternal grandparents in Crawley, West Sussex. She attended Bishop's Stortford College in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire. She briefly lived with a friend in Joensuu, Finland, which she later described as a "frightening experience". She has discussed experiencing bullying and discrimination at school, including in relation to her Indian heritage. Aitchison developed an interest in music at an early age, citing artists such as the Spice Girls and Britney Spears as early influences. She began writing songs at the age of 14. She adopted the stage name "Charli xcx" from her MSN Messenger screen name. She later said that she retained the name because she had not thought of another one and did not have a manager at the time. At 14, Aitchison persuaded her parents to lend her money to record her first album, "14". In early 2008, she began posting songs from the project and other demos on her Myspace page. This attracted the attention of a promoter who organised warehouse raves and parties in East London, leading to invitations to perform. She was billed under the name Charli xcx, derived from her MSN Messenger display name. Her parents supported her early career and attended several of the events. Although "14" was not commercially released, she issued the singles "!Franchesckaar!" and the double A-side "Emelline"/"Art Bitch" through Orgy Music in 2008. She later expressed dissatisfaction with this early material. At the age of 18, Charli xcx moved to London to study fine art at the Slade School of Fine Art at University College London. She left the course during her second year to pursue music. In 2010, Charli xcx signed with Asylum Records. She subsequently travelled to Los Angeles to work with producers and met American producer Ariel Rechtshaid. They wrote the song "Stay Away", which she later identified as an important point in the development of her musical direction. In early 2011, she was featured on Alex Metric's single "End of the World". She released "Stay Away" in May 2011 and "Nuclear Seasons" in November. Both songs received "Best New Track" recognition from Pitchfork, with "Stay Away" subsequently appearing on the publication's list of the best tracks of 2011. Charli xcx began working with Swedish producer Patrik Berger, who sent her two instrumental tracks. She wrote "I Love It" and "You're the One" to the tracks. Although she did not initially release "I Love It" herself, Swedish duo Icona Pop recorded a version featuring Charli xcx's vocals and released it as a single in 2012. The song reached number one in the United Kingdom and number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States in 2013. In June 2012, Charli xcx released "You're the One" as a single from her EP of the same name. She subsequently released the mixtapes "Heartbreaks and Earthquakes" and "Super Ultra". In early 2013, Charli xcx released "You (Ha Ha Ha)" and announced her debut studio album, followed by the single "What I Like". "True Romance" was released on 12 April 2013. It reached number 85 on the UK Albums Chart, number five on the US Billboard Top Heatseekers chart and number 11 on the Australian Hitseekers Albums chart. The album received generally favourable reviews from critics. In May, she released "Just Desserts", a collaboration with Marina and the Diamonds. Charli xcx began developing her second album in 2013. She initially considered recording it in India or France before travelling to Sweden and working with Patrik Berger on a punk-influenced project. The material was subsequently abandoned in favour of a more pop-oriented album. The resulting album incorporated influences from punk and 1960s yé-yé music, as well as artists including the Hives, Weezer and the Ramones. "SuperLove", released in late 2013 as the project's lead single, reached number 62 on the UK Singles Chart and became her first solo entry on the chart. It was later excluded from the album. In early 2014, Charli xcx was featured on Iggy Azalea's single "Fancy". The song topped the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first number-one single on the chart for both performers. During the same period, Charli xcx received songwriting credits on material by artists including Azalea, Ryn Weaver, Sky Ferreira, Neon Jungle, Rihanna and Gwen Stefani. She contributed "Boom Clap" to the soundtrack of the film "The Fault in Our Stars". The song reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and number six on the UK Singles Chart and was certified platinum in Australia. Her second studio album, "Sucker", was released in December 2014 after its release had been delayed following the success of "Boom Clap". It reached number 28 on the US Billboard 200 and number 15 on the UK Albums Chart. The album's singles included "Break the Rules" and "Doing It", featuring Rita Ora. "Doing It" reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart. Charli xcx has described herself as a feminist and said that "Body of My Own", a song from "Sucker", was written as a feminist statement. In 2015, she appeared in the BBC Three documentary "The F Word and Me". She also opened for Katy Perry on the European leg of the Prismatic World Tour, headlined a UK tour and appeared on Ty Dolla Sign's single "Drop That Kitty" alongside Tinashe. In July and August 2015, she co-headlined the Charli and Jack Do America Tour with Bleachers. A planned second leg was cancelled for what she described as personal reasons. In 2015, Charli xcx began developing her third studio album, describing the project as both her most pop-oriented and most electronic work to that point. She premiered "Vroom Vroom" in October 2015 and subsequently established the experimental pop label Vroom Vroom Recordings. The EP "Vroom Vroom" was released on 26 February 2016, with production primarily handled by Sophie. The release represented a change in musical direction and received mixed reviews. In July 2016, A. G. Cook, founder of the record label PC Music, became Charli xcx's creative director. The single "After the Afterparty" was released in October and reached number 29 on the UK Singles Chart, where it was certified gold. In March 2017, she released the mixtape "Number 1 Angel", which featured collaborations with MØ, Raye, Starrah, Uffie, Abra and Cupcakke and was produced largely by PC Music-affiliated artists including A. G. Cook, EasyFun and Sophie. Charli xcx appeared on Mura Masa's single "1 Night" in 2017. In July, she released "Boys", accompanied by a music video directed by herself and featuring numerous male celebrities. She also performed at the Lollapalooza festival. Much of the material for her planned third studio album was leaked online in 2017, with further tracks appearing in 2018. Following the leaks, the album was cancelled and she began work on a new project. The follow-up mixtape "Pop 2" was released on 15 December 2017. It featured collaborations with artists including Carly Rae Jepsen, Tove Lo, Alma, Caroline Polachek, Brooke Candy, Cupcakke, Pabllo Vittar, Dorian Electra, Mykki Blanco, Tommy Cash, Kim Petras, Jay Park and MØ. Charli xcx subsequently performed shows supporting the mixtape and appeared as an opening act on Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour alongside Camila Cabello. During 2018, she released the singles "5 in the Morning", "Focus", "No Angel" and "Girls Night Out". On 5 October 2018, Charli xcx released "1999", a collaboration with Troye Sivan and the lead single from her third studio album, "Charli". The song reached number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. Its music video featured references to 1990s popular culture. In 2019, she released "Blame It on Your Love", featuring Lizzo, and "Gone", featuring Christine and the Queens, as singles from "Charli". The album also included collaborations with artists such as Sky Ferreira, Haim, Clairo and Yaeji. "Charli" was released on 13 September 2019 through Asylum and Atlantic Records. In January 2020, Charli xcx was featured on Galantis' "We Are Born to Play", which was used as the theme song for the Japanese theme park Super Nintendo World. She subsequently appeared on 100 Gecs' "Ringtone" alongside Kero Kero Bonito and Rico Nasty. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she announced the album "How I'm Feeling Now". The album was written and recorded over six weeks during lockdown and was developed partly through interaction with fans on Instagram, where Charli xcx shared lyrics, artwork and sound samples for feedback. It was released on 15 May 2020 and received critical acclaim. In 2021, Charli xcx appeared on releases by artists including Elio and Bladee and Mechatok. In September, she released "Good Ones", the lead single from her upcoming fifth studio album. "New Shapes", featuring Christine and the Queens and Caroline Polachek, followed in November. Charli xcx announced "Crash" at the same time. "Beg for You", featuring Rina Sawayama, was released in January 2022, and "Crash" followed on 18 March 2022. In February 2023, Charli xcx announced that she had signed a new recording contract covering her next two albums. She co-headlined the Coachella Festival in April and contributed songs to several film soundtracks, including "Hot Girl" for "Bodies Bodies Bodies" and "Speed Drive" for "Barbie". "Speed Drive" reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart and number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100. She also co-composed the score for the 2023 film "Bottoms" with Leo Birenberg. In 2023, she collaborated with Addison Rae on "2 Die 4" and with Sam Smith on "In the City". In February 2024, Charli xcx performed a Boiler Room set in Brooklyn under the title "PARTYGIRL". The event attracted approximately 37,000 RSVPs, with 400 people admitted. The set featured appearances by A. G. Cook, George Daniel, Doss, Easyfun, Addison Rae and Julia Fox and included previews of material from her forthcoming album. "Von Dutch", the lead single from Charli xcx's sixth studio album, "Brat", was released on 29 February 2024. "360" followed in May, and "Brat" was released on 7 June. The album received widespread critical acclaim and recorded a Metacritic score of 95. Its lime-green artwork and visual style became widely associated with the term "Brat", which was subsequently used in popular culture and media coverage. "Guess" was initially released as part of the deluxe edition "Brat and It's the Same but There's Three More Songs So It's Not". A remix featuring Billie Eilish reached number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Charli xcx's second number-one single. "Apple" was subsequently released as a single after gaining popularity on TikTok. Charli xcx also served as executive producer for the soundtracks to the film "Mother Mary" and the television series "Overcompensating". In 2024, she received the ASCAP Global Impact Award and was included on Gold House's A100 list. The remix album "Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat" was released on 11 October 2024. It featured collaborations and remixes involving artists including Ariana Grande, Kesha, Caroline Polachek, Tinashe, Jon Hopkins, Bon Iver, Shygirl, Bladee, Julian Casablancas, the Japanese House, Bb trickz and the 1975. Charli xcx was named a US ambassador for Valentino Beauty in October 2024 and hosted and performed as the musical guest on "Saturday Night Live" on 16 November. In December, the Financial Times included her among its influential women of 2024. In 2025, "Party 4 U" experienced renewed popularity on TikTok, leading to the release of a music video for the song on 15 May, five years after "How I'm Feeling Now". In June, Charli xcx appeared during Air's performance at the We Love Green Festival in Paris and performed "Cherry Blossom Girl". Later that month, she appeared as Dua Lipa's guest during the London dates of the Radical Optimism Tour, performing "360". In October, she appeared during Addison Rae's debut album tour in Los Angeles. On 10 November 2025, Charli xcx released "House", a collaboration with John Cale of the Velvet Underground. The song was the lead single from her soundtrack album for Emerald Fennell's 2026 film "Wuthering Heights", based on the novel by Emily Brontë. The soundtrack was formally announced in November 2025 alongside the single "Chains of Love". A music video for "Chains of Love" followed later that month, while "Wall of Sound" was released in January 2026. Charli xcx produced "The Moment" through her production company Studio365. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on 23 January 2026 and received a limited release in the United States on 30 January, followed by a wider US release on 6 February and a UK release on 20 February. On 12 May 2026, Charli xcx became the global brand ambassador and a shareholder of the consumer electronics company Nothing. On 24 July 2026, Charli xcx released her eighth studio album, "Music, Fashion, Film", through Atlantic Records. The album included the previously released singles "Rock Music", "SS26", "Wink Wink" and "Camera". An expanded edition containing B-sides associated with three of the singles was released on 26 July. She announced a North American tour in support of the album, scheduled to run from 11 September to 23 October 2026, with Underscores as the opening act. A European leg was announced on 11 September, scheduled to take place from 13 to 24 February 2027, with Audrey Hobert as the opening act. In July 2026, it was reported that a portrait of Charli xcx photographed by Harley Weir during the "Brat" era would be added to the collection of the National Portrait Gallery. On 24 September 2026, she was featured on Madonna's "Danceteria Afterhours". They performed the song together at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on 27 September 2026. Full Wikipedia article: Studio albums True Romance (2013) Sucker (2014) Charli (2019) How I'm Feeling Now (2020) Crash (2022) Brat (2024) Wuthering Heights (2026) Music, Fashion, Film (2026)
We may earn a commission from ticket links.