Charli XCX has spoken about her upcoming album, XCX6, revealing that one track will explore feelings of grief following the death of close friend and collaborator, SOPHIE. The track centers on the “shame” Charli felt on “reflecting on their relationship” after SOPHIE’s passing in 2021. The pair began collaborating in 2015 and worked on XCX’s ‘Vroom Vroom’ EP together, among other releases. Following SOPHIE’s tragic death, Charli had tweeted: “I will honor Sophie in my own time personally, in my grief, through my memories, through my work, through writing things only I will read. But for now, all I can [say] is that I will miss her terribly.”
During a cover interview with The Face, Charli revealed that she was in awe of SOPHIE and wanted to impress her, leading to distance between them. “It’s hard to write about. I’m sad for myself that I didn’t experience all this person had to offer,” she said. Despite the details of the new album being largely under wraps, a 20-second preview of Charli’s latest track ‘Von Dutch’ has been shared to Tiktok.
Charli’s previous album, ‘Crash,’ was released in 2022, with the artist herself describing it as her “most aggressive and confrontational record” yet also her “most vulnerable.” The new album promises to be just as irresistible club-pop, according to The Face. Charli’s openness about her grief towards SOPHIE’s passing is reflective of the important role the music industry has in providing spaces to grieve for artists and fans alike.
The loss of SOPHIE, a pioneering producer and musician, sent shockwaves throughout the music industry and beyond, with many artists expressing their grief and paying tribute to her work. By using her own platform to pay tribute to SOPHIE and explore her own feelings of grief, Charli XCX joins a growing number of artists who are using their voices to bring awareness to the importance of mental health and supporting one another
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