"Charli xcx"

In this engaging conversation, Charli XCX discusses her multifaceted career, highlighting her experiences in both music and film. She details her creative process, emphasizing the importance of spontaneity and authenticity in her work. Charli shares insights into her synesthesia, which allows her to associate music with colors, and how this influences her songwriting. She reflects on her journey from performing at illegal warehouse parties with her supportive parents to writing hit songs for major artists like Selena Gomez and Iggy Azalea. Charli also touches on her recent foray into acting, expressing excitement about her role in the mockumentary "The Moment," which satirizes the music industry.

• Discussion about the challenges of recording in the afternoon, with participants expressing fatigue and the impact on their workday.
• Mention of the time difference affecting participants' schedules, particularly for those in different time zones.

"How do you feel about the afternoon record?"
"I'm not a fan. Yeah, I'm, I'm, I'm done with the day a couple hours ago."

• The afternoon recording session is not preferred, as it coincides with the end of the workday, leading to fatigue.

"It's a different kind of tired."
"It is. It's brain tired."

• The mental exhaustion from rehearsing and performing is highlighted, indicating the intense concentration required for theater work.

• Discussion on the purpose of theater previews, which are meant to work out kinks before the official opening.
• Criticism of selling tickets during previews and the pressure from critics reviewing during this phase.

"You know, it's to work out the kinks before it's officially open. But it's like, well, then don't sell tickets. But we are."

• The previews are intended to refine performances, but selling tickets during this period seems contradictory.

"That's when the critics come. Are during previews. Yeah. So it's like. What? I don't understand. It's all back."

• The presence of critics during previews adds pressure, as reviews are based on these performances.

• Discussion on the lack of stand-ins in theater compared to TV and film, where actors have stand-ins during technical preparations.

"Theater's the only place you don't have a stand in. So TV and film actors have stand ins while they light the scene so they can go rehearse or whatever."

• The absence of stand-ins in theater is seen as a disadvantage, as actors must endure long technical rehearsals.

• Introduction of Charli XCX, highlighting her unique background and creative endeavors.
• Discussion about her mockumentary film "The Moment," a satirical take on her first arena tour.

"It's called the Moment, and it's basically a. It's kind of a revisionist history of 2024."

• The film is a satirical mockumentary, blending real-life elements with fictionalized storytelling.

"The idea. It was based on an idea by me."

• Charli XCX was instrumental in conceptualizing the film, aiming to subvert traditional tour documentaries.

• Exploration of Charli XCX's influence in the music industry and the cultural impact of her album "Brat."
• Discussion on how the album's aesthetic and themes were adopted by fans and even entered political discourse.

"My album was an album where the COVID is green with the word brat on it. And that was something that was sort of, like, adopted by a lot of people on the Internet."

• The album's themes resonated widely, influencing cultural and political conversations.

"It became sort of part of, like, the conversation to be brat or not be brat."

• The term "brat" evolved into a cultural identifier, reflecting a sense of ownership and empowerment.

• The guest discusses their mixed cultural heritage, with a Scottish father and Indian mother, and how this influenced their sense of identity.
• They describe feeling disconnected from both cultures at different times, experiencing a sense of displacement.

"I would always kind of feel, I suppose, more white because I guess I didn't entirely perhaps connect with certain parts of the culture that I wasn't always present for."

• The guest felt more aligned with their mother's culture during family visits but felt more Indian at school due to stereotypes.

"In school, I would often feel more brown, you know, and more Indian, just because I think a lot of my school friends, their only kind of reference point for an Indian person was Apu from the Simpsons."

• This duality led to a feeling of not fully connecting with either side of their heritage.

"I couldn't really connect there, and I couldn't really connect with my mom's family. So it was, you know, but it was sort of like that kind of a, like, slight displacement type thing."

• The guest reflects on being an only child and how it shaped their ability to handle conflict.
• They note a lack of conflict resolution skills compared to peers with siblings.

"I actually think not having siblings actually means that you miss out on a lot of conflict. And I mean that in, like, actually a bad way."

• The absence of siblings meant conflicts with parents felt more significant.

"The clash feels like far more drastic. And there isn't a sibling to kind of just diffuse it a bit and make it feel less of a big deal."

• The guest expresses a lack of interest in having children, though they acknowledge this could change.

"I actually don't really want to have kids."

• They discuss the fantasy of having children versus the reality of parenting responsibilities.

"I love like the fantasy of having a child. Like, like naming it sounds so fun. But I'm like, that is exactly a sign to me as to why I should not have one."

• The guest shares experiences of performing at illegal warehouse raves with parental support.
• Parents were supportive but not involved in the guest's music career.

"I was so lucky. They were very supportive at the time. I was like, this is so lame. Like, they're cramping my style."

• Despite parental support, they maintained independence in their career.

"They're very proud and they're very supportive, but they're not involved in my career."

• The guest had early success writing and featuring on hit songs without being widely recognized.
• They describe the benefits of anonymity in the music industry.

"I was kind of like doing a lot of stuff and had some really, really big hits, but I was often either the writer of the song or the feature of the song."

• This experience prepared them for future success and helped build their audience organically.

"I probably would be like, totally, like off my head right now. Because I wouldn't really be prepared."

• The guest explains the process of writing songs for other artists, which can vary widely.
• They write both lyrics and melodies, sometimes tailored for specific artists.

"Sometimes it's kind of like a, we need songs for XYZ artists, and this is what they want. This is what they want to say."

• The guest mentions writing for well-known artists and adapting their songwriting style accordingly.

"Selena Gomez, Iggy Azalea, Camila Cabello."

• They describe the flexibility needed in songwriting, sometimes realizing a song suits another artist better.

"I'll write a song and I'll be like, oh, I thought this was for me. But actually, I don't think I should sing like a sort of flamenco sounding pop song."

• Discussion on the varying roles in the music industry, highlighting the distinction between performers and creators.
• Emphasis on the legitimacy and value of different artistic roles, such as performing and songwriting.

"It's funny. I think there's a real stigma against that, you know, like that. That sort of, in some ways, like, makes those people less of an artist. But I don't really agree with that."

• This quote highlights the common perception that performing without creating is less valuable, which the speaker disagrees with, emphasizing the legitimacy of different artistic roles.

• Exploration of the speaker's classical music background and its impact on songwriting.
• The speaker's initial disinterest in classical music, later developing an appreciation for it.
• Challenges faced in reading music and reliance on learning by ear.

"I played piano growing up. I was sort of studying classical piano and I. When I was younger, I had no interest in classical music at all."

• This quote underscores the speaker's early disinterest in classical music, which later evolved into an appreciation, influencing their artistic development.

• Introduction to synesthesia and its role in the speaker's creative process.
• The association of music with colors and how it influences music production and collaboration with producers.

"I would sort of say, like, can you make this sound more blue or more purple? And I wouldn't quite be able to articulate specifically... but I just knew that it needed to sound purple."

• The quote illustrates how synesthesia affects the speaker's interaction with music, using color to guide sound production.

• Transition from phonetic to lyric-driven songwriting.
• Emphasis on storytelling and direct communication in recent works.
• Rejection of traditional songwriting tropes and rhyme schemes.

"I used to kind of write phonetically... But now, yeah, more recently, I'm becoming much more lyric led."

• This quote reflects the speaker's evolution in songwriting, moving towards a more story-driven and direct lyrical approach.

• Valuing spontaneity and initial ideas in the creative process.
• The charm of unrefined, instinctual creativity versus overthinking and refinement.

"There's a real charm in spontaneity, and that's like a big part of my process as an artist, as a writer."

• The quote emphasizes the belief in the power of spontaneous creativity, viewing initial ideas as often more unique and authentic.

• The unpredictability of identifying hit songs and the role of instinct.
• Discussion on the influence of cultural references and zeitgeist in songwriting.

"I think we're in this kind of new era of creativity as a whole... things can kind of become catchy or earworms... because you're referencing something that's so within the zeitgeist."

• This quote suggests that contemporary creativity often relies on cultural references, contributing to the appeal and catchiness of art.

• The importance of creating without self-judgment or audience considerations.
• Encouragement to embrace creativity without fear, allowing for genuine expression.

"Art is absence of ego. Like, if you can get to the place where you're not judging it in real time, where you can let go."

• This quote highlights the concept of creating art free from ego, which allows for a more authentic and uninhibited creative process.

• The discussion highlights the challenge of creating art in a world saturated with constant feedback, especially via social media.
• The paradox of creating for public consumption while needing to reject public opinion to maintain creative integrity is explored.

"We need to reject the idea of what other people will like, even though the final product of what we do is for public consumption."

• This quote underscores the contradiction artists face between public expectations and personal artistic vision.

• The reality of the music industry is described as less structured and more disorganized than it appears from the outside.
• The creative process is often driven by artists, while the business side is reactionary and attempts to capitalize on successful trends.

"I was like, oh, this must be run by, like, a really, like, tight ship of people who, like, know what's up and. No, you know, it's like, it's not really the case."

• This quote reveals the misconception about the music industry's organizational structure and highlights the chaotic nature of creative industries.

• The artist reflects on the progression from small performances to large arenas, illustrating gradual career development.
• A transition into acting and producing is discussed, showcasing a desire to explore new creative avenues.

"I think because my career was such a slow burn... over the past sort of 10, 15 years, it's really grown gradually."

• This quote emphasizes the gradual nature of the artist's career growth, contrasting rapid success stories.

• The artist expresses enthusiasm for acting and producing, motivated by a desire to explore beyond music.
• There's a conscious decision to avoid being stereotyped as a musician turned actor in a cliché manner.

"I think I would like to sort of do some kind of a drastic pivot where I. Yeah, I kind of explore acting."

• This quote highlights the artist's interest in diversifying their creative portfolio and taking on new challenges.

• The artist shares experiences with unique fan gifts and interactions, reflecting the sometimes bizarre nature of fame.
• The concept of an "angel phone" for direct fan communication was attempted but proved impractical.

"I got a douche, which I was asked to sign. And then I also received a jar of somebody's mother's ashes as a necklace."

• This quote illustrates the unusual and sometimes unsettling interactions that can occur between artists and their fans.

• The artist discusses personal habits, such as irregular use of alarms and a dislike for touring.
• A preference for creative spontaneity over structured choreography is expressed.

"I hate touring... I really do it in quite a specific way where I think compared to a lot of my peers, I'm not really doing that much touring."

• This quote reflects the artist's selective approach to touring, prioritizing personal comfort over extensive travel.

• The artist's musical influences range from pop icons like Britney Spears to alternative bands like The Cure.
• A diverse taste in music is highlighted, spanning various genres and eras.

"I was very into, like, Britney and the Spice Girls... then as I got a bit older, I was really into the Cure to Kate Bush."

• This quote outlines the broad spectrum of musical influences that have shaped the artist's sound and style.