Charli xcx feared Brat would get her “dropped” by her record label.
The Apple hitmaker went on to win a slew of Grammys and BRIT Awards for the phenomenal 2024 album, which sparked the Brat Summer trend and crossed over into politics, fashion, and beyond – but she could never have predicted its success.
Speaking to Gwyneth Paltrow on her Goop podcast, she said: “I actually made this record being like, ‘OK, I’m just going to do this one for me. Maybe I’m going to get dropped by my label and that’s fine’. That was kind of the headspace that I was in.”
Moving on from Brat, Charli has confirmed she’s going for something “inherently different” on her next record and has been experimenting with strings recently.
She said: “I really like to work in contrast. I think whatever I do next will just inherently be different to Brat because that’s what feels natural.
“I’m exploring a lot of stuff with strings at the moment, which I’m really enjoying and I haven’t really worked in that space before.”
Charli previously claimed that “niche” pop stars are finally getting the success they deserve.
The chart-topping singer believes that pop music has entered a “really interesting” new era.
Charli told i-D magazine: “I think it’s a really interesting time in pop music where [being] niche is being rewarded in a way that we haven’t seen for a while.
“It feels like there’s this new wave of artists with different ambitions and cultural touchpoints who are really thriving in mainstream culture. And I think that’s myself, that’s Troye [Sivan], that’s Chappell [Roan].
“When I think about the three of us, that’s a lot of music that either is inherently a part of queer culture or is very much inspired by it, and that’s super cool.”