Charli XCX Unveils Rock Reinvention for Next Album

53 articles · Updated · The A.V. Club · Apr 16

Charli XCX has announced her next album will mark a shift from dance-pop to a guitar-driven rock sound.
The new project, made with longtime collaborators A.G. Cook and Finn Keane, will feature minimal Auto-Tune and focus on Charli’s raw vocals.
Charli describes this as a personal reinvention, following the massive success of 'Brat', and expects the change to divide some fans.

Could Charli XCX’s new album mark a turning point for genre boundaries in 2026’s pop landscape?

With the physical and emotional toll of her recent workload, can Charli XCX sustain this relentless pace of creative reinvention?

Is Charli XCX’s claim that 'the dance floor is dead' a bold prediction for pop’s future, or just a personal reaction to fame fatigue?

What does Charli XCX’s ‘anti-Brat’ album actually sound like, and how far does it stray from her pop roots?

How has Charli’s marriage to George Daniel and her exploration of acting shaped the themes of her upcoming album?

How will fans and critics respond if Charli’s rock pivot doesn’t achieve the same cultural impact as ‘Brat’?