Overview of Charli xcx
This SmartLess episode (hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett) features pop artist Charli XCX in a wide-ranging interview covering her music career, creative process, synesthesia, early days performing at illegal raves, and her move into film/acting—specifically the A24 mockumentary The Moment. The conversation mixes light-hearted host banter with candid stories about songwriting, touring, family, and the realities of the music industry.
Key topics discussed
- The Moment (A24 mockumentary): concept, fast production timeline, Charli plays a satirical version of herself; comparison to This Is Spinal Tap.
- Origins of the stage name “Charli XCX” (an old MSN screen name meaning “kiss”).
- Her songwriting career: writing toplines/lyrics for many high-profile artists and hits; the difference between writing for herself vs. writing for others.
- Creative approach: “dare to suck,” instinctual first ideas, moving from phonetic toplines to more lyric-led work.
- Synesthesia: how she perceives music as color and uses that language in studio sessions.
- Early career: performing at raves as a teen (parents sometimes attended), gradual rise from tiny rooms to arenas.
- Touring: she dislikes extended touring and tailors how much she tours.
- Acting & producing: newfound interest in acting, smaller projects to start, producing and upcoming projects (including working with Takashi Miike).
- Personal background: mixed Scottish and Indian heritage; only child; current feelings about parenthood (not planning children).
- Funny/odd anecdotes: fan gifts (a douche asked to be signed; a necklace containing a fan’s mother’s ashes), an “angel phone” experiment where fans could call her, MDMA misunderstanding anecdote involving her mom.
Guest background & career highlights
- Built a multifaceted career as a singer, songwriter, and collaborator: credited with writing/toplining for major pop artists (examples mentioned in the interview include Selena Gomez, Iggy Azalea, Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes).
- Transitioned from being a behind-the-scenes hitmaker to a front-facing artist with a wider audience following records like Brat (the hosts reference the cultural moment around the “brat” moniker).
- Growing interest in acting and producing, taking care to pivot deliberately rather than overexpose.
Creative process & songwriting insights
- Often captures the first instinct—Charli values spontaneity and the “first take” energy; she and collaborators embrace the “dare to suck” mindset.
- Writes toplines (melody + lyrics) and sometimes pens songs specifically for other artists; processes differ: some songs are written in minutes, others take longer.
- Lately more lyric-led writing (aiming for conversational, text-message-like phrasing rather than forced rhyme).
- On knowing when a song is “done”: she prefers avoiding endless tinkering—she trusts initial creative momentum and spontaneity over perpetual refinement.
- Views of artistry: distinguishes types of artistry (writers vs. performers); sees value in different artist roles rather than stigmatizing non-writing performers.
Synesthesia: how she uses it
- Charli experiences color associations with sounds; in the studio she’ll ask producers to make a track “more blue” or “more purple” to convey sonic textures.
- Producers who work with her learn to translate those color descriptors into sound design—an actionable shorthand in her workflow.
- She sometimes “sees” other people’s music in colors and uses that to evaluate or describe songs.
Film and acting
- The Moment: a satirical mockumentary about an arena tour, directed by Aidan Zamiri; scripted but with lots of improvised moments and comedic talent involved.
- Filming was fast: first draft written quickly and shot on an expedited schedule; stage/tour footage was staged specifically for the movie (not actual tour footage).
- Charli is exploring acting more deliberately—favoring small, intentional projects and collaborations with filmmakers she respects (mentioned a Gregoraki film and producing a project with Takashi Miike).
Memorable anecdotes & moments
- Parents attended her early rave shows; one story: someone offered her mom MDMA and she misheard it as “MDF” (wood paneling).
- Fans have given bizarre gifts: a douche asked to be autographed and a jar of a fan’s mother’s ashes presented as a necklace.
- She ran an “angel phone” line for fans to call; it was popular briefly but overwhelmed quickly.
- She keeps many alarm presets on her phone but rarely uses them—she’s typically a late morning riser unless jet-lagged.
Notable quotes / insights
- “You have to dare to suck.” — Emphasizing spontaneity over fear of failure.
- On songwriting: first instinct often contains something unique that over-polishing can kill.
- On artistry: “There’s different types of artistry”—valuing performers who don’t necessarily write their own material.
- On synesthesia in the studio: using colors as a practical language for sonic choices.
Tone, hosts’ reactions & episode vibe
- Conversational and playful; hosts banter about theater previews, aging, and parenting (wide-ranging digressions).
- They’re clearly fans—admiration for Charli’s authenticity, cool factor, and craft comes through.
- Episode blends light-hearted comedy with substantive creative discussion.
Main takeaways / Actions
- The Moment (mockumentary) is a central current project—look for streaming/showing dates (discussed as around late Jan in the episode).
- Charli’s songwriting philosophy: trust first impulses, favor lyrical honesty, and use unconventional cues (like color) to guide production.
- If you work with synesthetic creators, learn their shorthand (e.g., color descriptors) to speed collaboration.
- For fans curious about deeper context: explore Charli’s album Brat and her collaborative writing credits to hear her range between mainstream hits and experimental club/dance work.
If you want a quick list of specific tracks or songs mentioned (e.g., “I Love It,” hits off Brat, deluxe tracks like “Hello/Goodbye”), let me know and I’ll extract them from the interview.