Lorde talks collaborating with Charli XCX on “meta and modern” ‘Brat’ remix: “It’s been such a huge honour”
Lorde has opened up about her collaboration with Charli XCX, calling it “a huge honour”.
The New Zealand singer recently featured on the remix of ‘Girl, so confusing’, which originally appeared on Charli XCX’s latest album ‘Brat‘. Charli has previously spoken of how Lorde served as partial inspiration for the track, including feeling jealous over her ‘Royals’ success.
Now, in a comment to Billboard, Lorde has spoken about working with the Essex singer, saying that her first reaction to the song was a “two-part thing of both deep empathy for my friend and this feeling of ‘Man, I’ve been misunderstood, and I really want to make it right.’ ”
“When I was writing this verse, I was saying these things to her for the first time,” Lorde added. “There was such a rawness and an immediacy to what I was saying. I love that we truly did work it out on the remix. There’s something very brat about that, something very meta and modern. Only Charli could make that happen.
“She had opened up a channel between us, and it made me say things that I had never said. I was articulating things I’d never said or maybe even things I’ve never even heard said. This whole thing has been such a huge honour.”
The remix’s confessional nature garnered praise from the likes of Clairo, who called the song “unreal”: “I love that song. I mean, they’re both geniuses to me. Charli has been someone I’ve looked up to forever, and same thing with Lorde.
“I just couldn’t appreciate what they’re doing more,” she continued. “It’s really cool and extremely necessary, and I think there was a gap that needed to be filled. I’ve needed someone to say these things to me or remind me of how tricky dynamics can be within female friendships. It is just so clear that both sides exist, and you can see what type of person you are in the situation between friendships.”
Clairo has previously performed live with Lorde at Glastonbury 2022, where they performed ‘Stoned At The Nail Salon’ on the pyramid stage along with Arlo Parks. The song was taken from Lorde’s 2021 album, ‘Solar Power’
In a four-star review of ‘Brat’, NME wrote: “On the self-described “club record”, XCX offers pure party girl hedonism. Percolating beats, brash synths, left-field production and vocal lines that flit between bratty quips or honest one-liners.”
“With ‘Brat’, XCX demonstrates that going her own way will always sound pretty good,” it added.
Upon its release in June, Lorde expressed her admiration for ‘Brat’ and Charli as an artist: “I speak for all of us when I say it’s an honour to be moved, changed and gagged by her work. There is NO ONE like this bitch. Brava and welcome Brat.”
Meanwhile, Lorde is teasing her fourth album. In an update on her Instagram, she wrote: “If the tools do not exist you are spiritually obliged to create them”, along with variations on the word ‘L4’.
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Alex Rigotti
NME
