Decoding Charli XCX's new album, Music, Fashion, Film
Pop star Charli XCX is set to release a new album titled Music, Fashion, Film, which shifts away from the dance-pop sound of her previous record, Brat. The new project is described as guitar-based and self-referential, reflecting on her recent whirlwind career experiences.
Why it matters
Charli XCX's influence on pop culture and her ability to pivot musical styles makes her a significant figure in contemporary music trends.
Image source, EPA Image caption, Charli XCX has been at pop's cutting edge for 10 years and her new album adds a rock sound to the mix
Music correspondent Published 24 July 2026, 01:09 BST Charli XCX was supposed to be taking a break.
Her sixth album, Brat, was the sort of record you could genuinely call era-defining, without being accused of overstating its significance.
Experimental but accessible songs like Guess, Apple and 360 propelled the star to new heights of fame.
Her album was co-opted into Kamala Harris's 2024 presidential campaign, and Collins English Dictionary updated its definition of Brat , to acknowledge its use as an adjective characterising the music's "confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude".
After a punishing year-long tour, the singer accepted a few acting roles, wrote the soundtrack to Emerald Fennel's adaptation of Wuthering Heights and married her longterm partner George Daniel.
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