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Charli XCX Reframes Pop Stardom in New Substack Essay

Her Substack post doubles as a statement of creative identity beyond pop stardom.

Overview

  • In the piece, she calls pop stardom very fun with perks from parties to free gifts, yet acknowledges it can feel stupid or embarrassing.
  • She describes the job’s contradictions, from godlike highs onstage to long stretches in liminal spaces like airport lounges, green rooms and tour buses that make her feel commodified.
  • She pushes back on demands for total honesty and moral purity from artists, endorsing fantasy, hedonism and anti‑establishment personas and linking to a Lou Reed interview to underscore her view of performance.
  • She stresses she does not view herself purely as a pop star, preferring to identify as a creative or artist, and is using Substack as a direct outlet for her voice.
  • The essay lands as she promotes film work, including A24’s The Moment with a new trailer out, alongside a busy slate that features an Emerald Fennell Wuthering Heights soundtrack due February 11.