Charli XCX, who has turned away from the polished, every-woman appeal of contemporary pop stars, has claimed the title for herself in a post-genre environment. It’s fitting that she teamed up with Magnum for their new sensory Crack Into Pleasure campaign; it's a departure from the norm, an invitation to indulge in something disruptive and creatively free – all characteristics of Charli’s tribute to the flawed party girl, captured in neon green on her crossover project, ‘Brat’.
Charli appeared in Cannes alongside model and musician Gabbriette. Dressed in a Vivienne Westwood archive piece, her entrance at a party held in her honor paid tribute to the 1995 runway moment when models strutted with Magnum Ice Creams. Surrounded by admirers and photographers, it felt like a crowning achievement for an artist who has reshaped sound waves and transformed pop and club-influenced electronic music for over a decade.
Representing her PARTYGIRL line-ups, Charli curated the evening's music with high-energy DJ performances from Jamie xx, George Daniel, and an electrifying after-hours show by Yung Lean. A showcase of contrasting tones, Charli selected artists from across the club spectrum. George Daniel’s dynamic set infused dark, dubby vapourwaves with quick bursts of techno, house, garage, and hard groove – a vigorous workout for guests looking to burn off the sweetness of the Magnum Dipping and Spray Bar experience. Jamie xx maintained a light, nostalgic yet euphoric vibe, blending rare deep cuts with crowd-pleasing tracks – a mix of pixelated, spacey funk resonating with disco and French Touch anthems.
In a welcome move, Magnum and Charli opened the beach party on La Croisette to not only VIPs but also a group of her fans from around the world, many of whom have contributed to the mythology and lore surrounding Charli XCX online. Her ascent as an underground-tinged pop icon is intertwined with the rise of internet platforms, where the distinction between artists and fans fades, and social media becomes a space to explore and uncover cryptic hints for upcoming releases.
Charli's connection with her fans is not merely transactional but has been thoughtfully nurtured over time. Before @xcxsource became a prominent fanpage, its primary operator maintained a music blog that featured Charli’s debut mixtape ‘Heartbreaks and Earthquakes’ – a cinema-themed relic containing tracks that would eventually feature on her first album, ‘True Romance’. “I was immediately captivated,” recalls @xcxsource. “The production, her vocals, and the seamless flow of songs using film samples as transitions were unlike anything I had encountered before. It sparked my interest in Charli's work, and I’ve been a fan ever since.”
@xcxshake, who fell in love with the artist back in 2018 with the release of the refined synthetic journey, ‘Track 10’, established the dedicated fanpage in Germany prior to ‘Brat’; an authentic recognition of an artist who emerged during the blog era and has since integrated digital elements into her brand with each album campaign. “Charli has always maintained a close bond with her fans,” says @xcxshake. “She has a private account where she shares news first, hosts signings and listening events, and actively engages with her followers on social media platforms like TikTok. She’s relatable, and we feel our opinions hold weight.”
Objectively speaking, before ‘Brat’ transitioned Charli from an indie outlier to a Billboard sensation, the singer has consistently been attuned to industry trends; she is a constantly online presence interacting with her ever-growing fanbase. She enjoys being on Instagram Live creating new songs with her fans just as much as she enjoys visiting clubs with them. “She isn’t like other artists who might perform a song, or give a brief speech and then leave,” @xcxsource adds. “She immerses herself in the crowd, dancing and reveling with her fans. She understands our preferences and seems to engage in much more fan service than the typical artist.”
In a recent TikTok clip, Charli XCX reflected on ‘the end of an era’, the duration of a pop movement, and the need to maintain an air of mystery in a landscape that grows weary of viral phenomena. What will emerge in a post-‘Brat’ era? Charli concluded her thoughts with a hopeful insight: “I just kind of want it to keep going.”
@xcxsource expressed a desire for Charli to revisit the pop-punk sound of ‘SUCKER’ with today’s dance vibes: “The unforgettable ‘Vroom Vroom’ scream during her live performances stays in my mind all the time. I believe she could create something really unique and fresh with that sound in the future.” @xcxshake is eager to witness how Charli balances her burgeoning acting career alongside a musical
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Charli XCX, who has turned away from the polished, universal image of today’s pop star, has claimed the title for herself in a post-genre environment. It’s not