Charli XCX reveals she’s in the ‘worst place mentally’ ahead of new album

Charli XCX has opened up about her mental health low and what to expect from her forthcoming album, Music, Fashion, Film.

The 33-year-old British singer-songwriter told Rolling Stone that she is “in the worst place mentally” that she’s ever been. The declaration comes on the heels of the backlash to her “Rock Music” track.

The upcoming album has a lot to live up to after Brat‘s viral and global success. Charli’s album developed a life of its own, and so fans’ expectations are high.

“The discourse is loud, and sometimes that can be very overwhelming,” Charli said. 

“I have actually been a lot more offline,” she also shared. “I don’t really look as much anymore. It’s just better for my brain. I know people probably won’t believe me, because I am inherently, at least in the past, a very online artist.

“But I recently have been really struggling with my mental health to the point where, if I’m being real, I’m in the worst place mentally that I’ve been in my life.”

Speaking about the new album, Charli noted that her albums have always been very distinctive.

“All of my albums work in opposites,” the artist shared. “They repel against each other, and that’s the connective tissue.

‘I was never going to make that record again’

“I knew when I was making it that I was never going to make that record again,” she said. “It’s not creatively rewarding for me to make the same thing twice.”

“Rock Music” is the first release from Music, Fashion, Film. The album cover artwork features John Cale, Marc Jacobs and Martin Scorsese as represeations of music, fashion and film, respectively.

The track “Rock Music” departed from Brat’s dance-pop beat and leaned into auto-tuned hyperpop. On the track, she declares: “The dance floor is dead. Now we’re making rock music.”

“I’m of this mindset at the moment that my life will end, as will all of our lives,” she continues. “I want to live my life exactly the way that I want to live it, because I don’t get a redo.”

Legendary gay filmmaker Gus Van Sant was the photographer for XCX’s Rolling Stone cover shoot.

“Gus’ vibe is so calm,” XCX says of Van Sant, who is best known for the films My Own Private Idaho and Milk.

Music, Fashion, Film is out July 24.

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