Superlatives
A Vulture series in which artists judge the best and worst of their own careers.
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
Before dropping the first single off her albumCrash,Charli XCXdeclaredhyperpop to be dead.
The performer had been one of the subgenres biggest champions, developing its sound in her work withA.G.
Cookandthe late SOPHIEand working with up-and-comers like 100 gecs Dylan Brady.
I was like, Do you know who you stan?
Obviously Im going to deliver you something iconic.
The believers were rewarded when Charli released the polished, playfulCrashon March 18.
Like songwriters pitch the chorus ideas, that kind of thing.
I wanted to do that to challenge myself.
That younger version of myself who wouldve been very anti this album campaign, probably.
But I feel like that was the challenge, to overcome that.
All of that judgmental stuff can get in the way of if the song is good or not.
People wanted to know my background and if I was authentic and if I was cool.
But I feel likeover the years, that song has become an unsung hero ofTrue Romance.
I actually think it would fit so well onCrash, to be honest.
I think its still one of my best songs.
We felt like that was the perfect pop song.
Maybe there were one too many features.
I think it got its justice when it did blow upon TikTok.
We were like, We knew this was an iconic bop.
I absolutely love TikTok because it really is so free.
You cant predict it or you cant try and harness it.
You really do just have to go with the flow on there, and I love that.
People can tell when it feels forced or awkward, or one person doesnt really want to be there.
Ive had that situation a couple of times and people know, they can just feel it.
I actually really wanted this album to be about me, mostly.
I couldnt resist and I did end up working withRinaand Caroline andChris, which I absolutely love.
[But] I never really saw this as a big collaboration project, like I did withPop 2orCharli.
Song you most regret
So easy to answer: Break the Rules.
People got in my head about it.
They were like, This is going to be a hit.
I listened to them and I put it out and it wasnt really a hit.
I was like,Shit, this is why you should always trust your gut.
I will say, when I play it, it does go off.
I would never play it at my own show.
Its like a little party trick that I bring out.
The song was familiar.
So, thats why its still in my back pocket, just in case.
Best music video
I think it probably would be one from this album.
I really love theGood Onesvideo.
I really love the Baby video because thats the first time Im reallydoing choreo.
I guess I was doing it in Good Ones, but Baby was the first choreo I learned.
So theres a sense of pride for me there.
But then I also really love the Vroom Vroom video.
I really enjoyed that process.
Gayest song
I think its Vroom Vroom.
That is, I think, the gay anthem.
It absolutely goes off at shows, its demonic.
Its essentially myPet Sounds, which is a funny sentence I thought Id never say.
The reviews were bad, and that came out right afterSucker.
But that song not to sound arrogant, but its a fucking masterpiece.
Of course, in part thats totally down to SOPHIE.
We were in Sweden, in the countryside.
It was just such a crazy, wild studio session.
I think that songs grown and grown in terms of how much people love it and relate to it.
It was seen as quite complex when it came out.
Song youre proudest of
Its really hard to pick one song.
It does have that tension between pop and insanity which I love.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
