Let’s work it out on the remix
🎧 The Charli XCX + Lorde collab is healing my jaded pop girl soul
FIRST of all, can we just take a moment to acknowledge all the kickass music by talented, strong female artists that’s come out this year? In 2024 we’ve gotten fresh music from: Olivia Rodrigo, Kacey Musgraves, Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, Beyonce, TSwift, Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa, Meghan Trainor…
And now! Charli!?! Are you freakin kidding me?
I was first introduced to Charli XCX in 2013. She opened for one of my favorite bands Marina and the Diamonds in this questionable venue in Minneapolis. The space was made of concrete, reverberating with every beat of the bass.
Charli was fun and full of energy. Peppy and funky. A bit edgy but not in a try-hard way. She was the perfect complement to my Marina.
My love for Charli only escalated with her and Icona Pop’s hit song, “I Don’t Care” at the center of one of my favorite scenes from the HBO show Girls.
Icona is right. This moment immediately became iconic.
So I was pretty excited for Charli’s sixth studio album, BRAT. Part club bops and part intimate confessional, BRAT is a fabulous, fun and thoughtful record. But the tenth track, “Girl, so confusing” just shows what a creative (and marketing) genius Charli truly is.
Some lyrics from the song, “Girl, so confusing:”
“Yeah, I don't know if you like me
Sometimes I think you might hate me
Sometimes I think I might hate you
Maybe you just wanna be me
You always say, "Let's go out"
So we go eat at a restaurant
Sometimes it feels a bit awkward
'Cause we don't have much in common”
The song details a complicated dynamic with another female singer and is custom-built-bait for her very online fan base and our communal obsession with inter-celebrity drama. The song describes Charli’s “beef” (although it feels more like admiration/hurt/confusion) with another artist whom the press often compares her to. Many hypothesized that the song was about Lorde, while others suggested it could be Marina (formerly Marina and the Diamonds).
The internet was abuzz with rumors about WHO this song was about. When any singer writes such a specific, vulnerable song (e.g. Alanis’ You Oughta Know, Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain, or ANY song written by Taylor Alison Swift), the floodgates to speculation swing open: WHO is this about? Did this REALLY happen?
Anyway, suspicions were confirmed when Charli hinted at a potential collaboration with Lorde and later announced a remix of “Girl, so confusing” featuring the artist. The response to the collab? SPIRITED. Fans could hardly contain themselves.
So what happened? As the story goes, Charli sent Lorde a voice note explaining how she’d been feeling and suggesting they “work it out on the remix.” Lorde’s response, which came in the form of the song’s second verse, described what she was going through, which included a list of insecurities and body image shit. The best part is the end: “I ride for you, Charli.” CHILLS.
The vulnerability both Charli and Lorde offered up has made them more approachable and likeable to their fans. Not only is the final product fantastic, it’s also a marketing win and a feminism win for sure.
The whole scenario is in stark contrast to this year’s earlier musical feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. If you need a quick refresher, here’s a beautiful essay that Chet Hanks sent to his father, Tom Hanks, via text.
The vibe is starkly opposing. Drake and Kendrick created a variety of back-and-forth diss tracks with the intent to discredit and humiliate one another…to win…while Charli and Lorde’s remix is the OPPOSITE of a diss track. It’s a creative collaboration built on mutual respect and admiration. A desire for closeness and self-reflection over how each of them hold themselves back (and how the industry/society often pits strong women against one another).
I read one fan comment proclaiming that Charli and Lorde’s remix “needs to win the nobel peace prize,” and I agree; it’s a clear example of their mutual maturity, artistry, respect, and vulnerability. Bravo, mates.
And if you need a little more feel-good music energy, check out Alanis Morisette and her 8-year-old daughter, Onyx, dueting Ironic. The cutest! My god, can you imagine if Alanis was your mom?