Billboard cover star Charli xcx made a statement this summer with BRAT. She takes us through a day in her life in London, showing us her favorite spots and reflecting on how her previous records contributed to her current success. She explains how her BRAT inspiration transpired and why the BRAT green is uncool, her Sweat Tour with Troye Sivan and more!
Charli XCX:
Hi, Billboard. I’m Charli XCX. Let’s spend 24 hours together.
This is Artwords — this is a bookshop that I sometimes come into. It’s on a very cute street by London Fields and I just like to come here on the weekends when I’m in London. To be honest, I don’t read loads. I won’t lie — I’m more of a movie watcher, but I definitely go through phases where I’m, like, really on a book, you know? The book I’m reading at the moment is David Bailey’s autobiography. He is an amazing British photographer. I really like reading David Sedaris books, I love reading Natasha Stagg’s books, but I’m not a big fiction reader, to be honest. I like reading about people who exist in the real world and their stories and how they’ve ended up where they are.
I’ve definitely been on a journey with my creative process and the music that I make and I think … You know, my first record, True Romance, which I think literally, like, 11 people heard, is one that is really dear to me and I love it. And I think it’s, in my opinion, stood the test of time, but you know, obviously, everyone else will have their own opinions on that. But after that record, I made a much more, I don’t know, kind of like a commercial-sounding record which is what I wanted to do at the time.
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