Unreleased third studio album (Charli XCX)

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XCX World
Studio album (unreleased) by
Charli XCX
Recorded2015–2017
GenreElectropop
Singles from XCX World
  1. "After the Afterparty"
    Released: 28 October 2016
  2. "Boys"
    Released: 26 July 2017

The unreleased third studio album by English singer and songwriter Charli XCX was written and recorded from 2015 to 2017, with a version of the album being finalised in mid-2016.[1] The album was delayed multiple times before ultimately leaking in August 2017, causing its release to be cancelled. Charli XCX then started a new project, which eventually became her 2019 self-titled album. The album's photoshoot, shot by Bradley & Pablo, leaked in August 2018. Charli XCX has stated that the album will likely never be released.[2] Although never officially named, the album was christened XCX World by the artist's fans, who created multiple bootleg recreations of the album with confirmed leaked tracks.[3][4][5][6]

Background[]

“At the time I felt scared to talk about it. It felt like an invasion of my life, my personal space, my personal property. It was just really sad, and I was really hurt.”

—Charli XCX about her third album[7]

In December 2014, following the release of predecessor album Sucker, Charli XCX revealed she was planning her then-upcoming third studio album. She stated that it would be inspired by Japanese pop music and that it would sound like "another planet up in the clouds" and "intensely weird and childlike".[8] In July 2015, Charli XCX shared in an interview that she was working on her third album and described it as "the most pop thing, and the most electronic thing" she had ever done.[9] Scottish producer Sophie, along with BloodPop and Stargate, were confirmed to be involved in the album's production. In October 2015, Charli XCX released the song "Vroom Vroom", on the Beats 1 Radio Show, then claiming it would be the first song released from her third studio album.[10]

On 26 February 2016, the Vroom Vroom EP was released, under Charli XCX's own imprint record label, Vroom Vroom Recordings.[11] All songs on the EP were produced by Sophie. In July 2016, it was announced that British producer A. G. Cook, founder of record label PC Music, had signed on as Charli's creative director.[12] The following month, Charli said in an interview with The Fader that her album was finished and would be released in 2017.[13] Charli also revealed song titles for the album including "Good Girls" and "Come To My Party", the former being described as "play[ing] around with gender expectations". When describing the project, Charli stated the album would be split into two sides, half being "straight-up pop" and the other half being "club orientated". In October 2016, the album was confirmed for a May 2017 release.[14][15][16] On 10 November 2016, Charli performed at Exchange, Los Angeles, along with Sophie, where they debuted numerous new songs including "Roll With Me" (which would later be included on Number 1 Angel) and "No Angel".[17] In November 2016, Charli XCX teased the concept of releasing a mixtape before the album. This idea would later come to fruition with Charli confirming a mixtape would indeed be released in early 2017.[18]

In February 2017, it was announced the album was delayed and expected to be released in September 2017.[19] In May 2017, the album was delayed again with an expected release date for spring 2018.[20][21] In an interview with The Fader, it was revealed that the album was completed in mid-2016.[1]

Promotion and cancellation[]

On 28 October 2016, the single "After the Afterparty" was released as the intended lead single from the album.[22] The music video was released two days later. The song charted at 29 on the UK Singles Chart and was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). On 8 February 2017, Charli performed the track on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, along with an unreleased song titled "Bounce".[23]

"Boys" was released on 26 July 2017 as the second single from the album, with the music video release coinciding its release.[24] The video was directed by Charli XCX, with additional direction from Sarah McColgan, and began production in April 2017. On 20 August 2017, the entirety of the album leaked on the internet, which led to the album being scrapped.[7] Charli then decided to focus on making an entirely new third studio album, which eventually became Charli (2019). In September 2019, Charli revealed in an interview with The Fader that she never gave the album an official title and that the album "was never really a fully formed thing", but that she indeed had already shot the album artwork and was about to shoot music videos before the leak happened. Charli stated in the same interview that the decision to scrap the album was "out of [her] hands", and the material will never be released because "that time is really tainted" due to somebody hacking her.[25] However, an unreleased song from the album, "Taxi", was performed in a virtual concert in March 2020.[26]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Charli XCX Gets Extremely Real About Her Mixtape And New Music". The FADER. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  2. ^ "Charli XCX is making space for the pop music we deserve". The FADER. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  3. ^ Griffiths, George (6 April 2021). "We give thanks for the TikTok resurrection of Charli XCX's 'Unlock It'". Dazed Digital. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  4. ^ Griffiths, George (6 September 2021). "Charli XCX's Top 10 biggest songs in the UK revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  5. ^ Leas, Ryan (20 April 2021). "45 Lost Albums We Want To Hear". Stereogum. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  6. ^ Wetmore, Brendan (12 July 2019). "Everything You Should Know About Charli XCX's New Album". Paper. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Charli XCX: When my songs were leaked it felt like my life was invaded". Evening Standard. 2019-11-27. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  8. ^ "Riot Girl: Charli XCX Rages Against the Pop-Music Machine". Time. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  9. ^ Shannon, Mahanty (July 8, 2015). "seven minutes with charli xcx". I-D. Vice.
  10. ^ "Charli XCX announces Vroom Vroom EP, shares "Trophy" -- listen". Consequence of Sound. 2016-02-23. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  11. ^ "Charli XCX just started her own label". EW.com. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  12. ^ Picton, B. J. F. (1912-11-01). "An Album of Songs. Second Album of Songs". The Musical Times. 53 (837): 721. doi:10.2307/906497. ISSN 0027-4666. JSTOR 906497.
  13. ^ "How Charli XCX Stopped Worrying And Learned To Love The Pop Machine". The FADER. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  14. ^ October 2016, 28. "Charli XCX confirms May release date for third album". www.femalefirst.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-31.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ Briones, Isis. "Charli XCX Finally Revealed When She's Dropping Her New Album". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  16. ^ Spanos, Brittany (2017-01-09). "Charli XCX on Making Album She Could 'Get F--ked Up To'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  17. ^ "Charli XCX + SOPHIE @ Exchange LA 11/10/16". Secondhand Setlists. 2016-11-11. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  18. ^ "Charli XCX Says She Plans To Drop A Mixtape Before Releasing Her Third Album". The FADER. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  19. ^ "Charli XCX Has A New Album Coming Soon! - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  20. ^ Kaplan, Ilana. "Charli XCX's new mixtape is her latest on a quest for pop perfection". Time Out New York. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  21. ^ Erica Russell (2017-05-13). "Charli XCX's Third Album Likely Pushed Back to 2018". popcrush.com. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  22. ^ "Charli XCX Has A New Album Coming Soon!". February 24, 2017.
  23. ^ Hazel, Allison (10 February 2017). "Watch Charli XCX Perform 'After the Afterparty' & 'Bounce' on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live'". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  24. ^ Reed, Ryan (2017-07-26). "Charli XCX Recruits Joe Jonas, Wiz Khalifa in Celeb-Packed 'Boys' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  25. ^ Rosa, Christopher. "It's Charli XCX's Party—And Everyone Is Invited". Glamour. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  26. ^ Torres, Eric; Monroe, Jazz (25 March 2020). "Charli XCX Airs Rarity "Taxi" During Livestreamed DJ Set: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
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