Reading Festival
Charli XCX headlined the Reading Festival with a performance featuring a full live band and dancers, showcasing tracks from her new album 'Music, Fashion, Film'. The set marked a shift toward an instrument-led sound while maintaining her signature pop aesthetic.
Why it matters
As a major music festival event, this performance highlights the evolving artistic direction of a prominent contemporary pop artist.
Charli XCX headlined The Grid at Reading Festival 2026 on Friday night, delivering the first full UK show of her Music, Fashion, Film era as heavy earlier rain finally eased across the site.
link Charli XCX opened her Reading Festival set with Rock Music , the fuzzed-out lead single from her new album, before moving into a set drawing heavily on Music, Fashion, Film alongside material from her February soundtrack album Wuthering Heights . She kept banter to a minimum throughout, telling the crowd simply: "Thank you, Reading."
Despite the shift towards a more instrument-led sound, several of Brat 's biggest tracks remained in the set, including 360, Von Dutch and Guess , often blended with snippets from the new record. Before launching into Apple , she teased the crowd that a classic was coming.
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