Charli XCX has released her latest album, *Music, Fashion, Film*, continuing her exploration of fame, creativity, and the complexities of artistic identity. The follow-up to her 2024 electro album *Brat*, the new record features 11 tracks that blend genres and temper her pop sensibilities with elements of rock and experimental production.
The lead single, “Rock Music,” is a brief, glitch-infused track that immediately sparked discussion regarding its tone and intent. With lyrics that simultaneously mock and celebrate the rock genre, the song sets the tone for an album that is both playful and introspective. The collection eschews straightforward pop formulas, incorporating power chords and distorted guitars alongside subtle electronic textures, often highlighting rhythm-driven minimalism and alternative tunings. This instrumentation recalls early musical influences and contrasts with the more polished sounds of her previous work.
Collaborators A.G. Cook and Finn Keane share production and songwriting credits, contributing to a cohesive creative vision that underpins the album. The project appears less focused on dancefloor-ready tracks and more attentive to candid reflections on the pressures of public perception and the challenges of sustaining an artistic persona. These themes play out across various moods and styles, from the spoken-word sections influenced by the Velvet Underground on the track “Music, Fashion, Film” to the pop-punk-inflected “2007,” which draws on experiences of engaging with social media culture.
Other highlights include “Magic Metal Montana,” a post-rock inspired piece featuring an unexpected tempo shift and a personal dedication to Cook, and “SS26,” which foregoes the driving percussion prominent on *Brat* in favor of a more subdued, drum machine-backed groove. Tracks such as “I’m Afraid” reveal a willingness to confront vulnerability, with lyrics that invite comparisons to 1990s alternative rock while maintaining a distinct, contemporary voice.
*Music, Fashion, Film* shares ideological resonances with Charli XCX’s 2026 meta mockumentary *The Moment*, which chronicled the aftermath of achieving celebrity ambitions. Both works explore themes of authenticity and self-presentation without resorting to self-aggrandizement, offering instead a nuanced and sometimes humorous portrayal of the artist’s experience.
Throughout her career, Charli XCX has occupied a unique position between cult acclaim and mainstream visibility. This latest album continues that trajectory, presenting a complex, genre-defying statement that may challenge some listeners but reinforces her status as a significant and innovative figure in contemporary pop music.