In a candid interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, Charli XCX revealed the behind-the-scenes dynamics of her new song “girl, so confusing,” including the unexpected reaction from fellow pop star Lorde. Charli, 32, admitted that she did not inform Lorde about the song until just one day before its release, leading her to brace for the possibility of losing their friendship.
“I was prepared for her to never speak to me again. That could have been an outcome,” Charli shared, reflecting on the emotional weight of the track. The song delves into her complex feelings about Lorde, 27, expressing sentiments like, “Sometimes I think I might hate you / Maybe you just wanna be me,” and commenting on their similarities: “People say we’re alike / They say we’ve got the same hair.”
Charli acknowledged feelings of jealousy over Lorde’s breakthrough hit “Royals,” revealing that these emotions have shaped her perception of their relationship. “You create these parallels and think, ‘Well, that could have been me,’” she explained.
Realizing the album would drop in the U.S. that Friday, Charli felt compelled to reach out to Lorde, only to discover that she was already aware of the song. “I was like, ‘I’ve got to tell you about this song.’ And she was like, ‘Yeah, I’ve heard it,'” Charli recalled. The time difference meant that Lorde, living in New Zealand, received the album a day early.
Lorde not only recognized the song but also had an idea to address their dynamic through a remix. “She was like, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if I did this response?’ And I was like, ‘Oh my God. I can’t believe this is happening. Yes,'” Charli said. The collaboration came together rapidly; Lorde sent her verse just three days after the initial conversation.
In her remix verse, Lorde reflected on her own struggles, singing, “I was so lost in my head / And scared to be in your pictures.” She also touched on her battle with body image, revealing, “For the last couple years / I’ve been at war with my body.”
Their collaboration reached a new level when Lorde joined Charli on stage during the New York stop of her sold-out Brat tour in late September, performing the remix live. Charli’s much-anticipated remix album, titled Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat, is set to release on October 11. The album will feature additional remixes, including tracks with Billie Eilish, Robyn, and Troye Sivan, and has already generated buzz with a series of neon green billboards promoting it.
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