Charli XCX: New Heights
British singer-songwriter Charli XCX. Photography: Paul Kooiker
Charli XCX's new album Wuthering Heights, released on the 13th February, clocked a massive 9.32 million streams on its first day on Global Spotify. The brooding soundtrack overlaid by haunting orchestration, opens with “House” featuring the legendary John Cale of The Velvet Underground – the scratchy chords and Cale’s foreboding voice set the tone for an album that is a notable departure for the British singer-songwriter and her hyperpop sound. It was written for Emerald Fennel’s highly-anticipated film adaptation of Emily Brontë’s 1847 classic novel, which is currently sweeping cinemas, and generated $82mn at its global opening, according to Warner Bros.
Bronë’s intense, tumultuous 19th-century love story set on the Yorkshire Moors is brought to life by Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, who play Catherine and Heathcliff Earnshaw in a bold depiction of destructive passion and forbidden love. Academy Award and BAFTA-winning filmmaker Fennel, who is a seasoned actress and known for her subversive take on storytelling, previously directed the hit psychological thriller-comedy Saltburn, also starring Elordi.
The Velvet Underground co-founder John Cale features on Charli XCX's track "House". Photography: Henry Redcliffe
Charli XCX is carving her own acting-producing career. This month she stars in the film The Moment, a mockumentary exploring the intense, often chaotic life of a pop star in the throes of a cultural moment, based on her own original idea and directed by Aidan Zamiri. The movie, which premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, is the first co-production from her new studio365 venture, this a major expansion into film by the singer-songwriter who rose from MySpace fame to global hits like "I Love It" (with Icona Pop) and "Fancy" (with Iggy Azalea), and achieved critical and commercial success with her album Brat.
She is already proving to be a prolific actress, starring in Gregg Araki’s erotic thriller I Want Your Sex with Olivia Wilde; as well as Cathy Yan’s independent art-world satire The Gallerist with Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortega, a film that also premiered at Sundance. Charli previously starred in Julia Jackman’s 2025 period fantasy 100 Nights Of Hero; Romain Gavras’ satirical action adventure Sacrifice, also starring Chris Evans; and Pete Ohs’ short indie film about friendship and fun, Erupcja. Daniel Goldhaber’s remake of 1978 cult horror Faces of Death in which the singer plays a version of herself, is scheduled for release on 10th April.
Listen to Charli XCX’s “Wall Of Sound” HERE.
Watch the trailer to Wuthering Heights below:
