bored

Do you think it'll ever leak? Does anybody have the tracks?

I'm expecting 14 tracks, I just feel it haha. If there was gonna be a deluxe it would've been LFL.

Did she like any of the 24hr album songs? Cos I Got It and Party Party are the only ones we've heard, and if she hates them aha, doesn't say much about the rest.

For real though a list of things to come: Gucci campaign (Lana serving looks in the visuals and whilst doing press) Teasing of song titles and what we can expect from NFR. The next single and music video. The tracklist reveal - meltdowns over RBFY and Yosemite not being included, will Bartender make it, etc. The artwork - is it her best of worst to date and then ranking of all her album covers (and all the Chuck slander along the way) The release date confirmation. The pre-order (all the editions and merch) THEN THE ACTUAL BODY OF WORK (AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH)

I still can't believe this era still hasn't officially begun! Like damn, still a tracklist and artwork to be revealed, potential of collabs, more singles and music videos, interviews, photoshoots etc. Crazy to believe that it's gonna be Christmas then non-stop Lana come January (Gucci campaign into NFR era) - I AM NOT READY!

She considers them as albums, but in her discography they are officially mixtapes, meaning the upcoming album is XCX3. Otherwise H&E and SU would have been XCX1 and XCX2 etc.

I think No Angel and Girls Night Out would fit on the record better (in terms of sound - judging by 1999 and Come To My Party). However I'm not expecting any of them on the album. I mean 1999 is pretty much confirmed. Charli stated it was the first single from an upcoming project and her official store says "1999 from the upcoming studio album".

Ah that makes sense, thanks! I also need to hear the solo version of I Got It, she kills them verses.

How did Umru become involved with Party Party? I thought that was one of the 24hr album tracks she made with AG? Also I need that 24hr album!

I'd love to hear a Charli version of OMG. Damn. Possible collab for Camila's album? Wasn't she performing it on tour? Surely she wouldn't be able to if it's now Charli's song.

I agree, but neither on XCX3 please - Camila might just be cowriting?

I couldn't think of anything worse...

Ugh I need a True Romance medley on this 2019 tour... Come through Charli! Imagine a mix by AG of... What I Like / Grins / Take My Hand link?

Nobody actually knows... it might be on the soundtrack that comes in January? If not then it'll be a case of waiting for it to leak.

So ready for her drunken insta story on NYE when she finally confirms an album is coming "this year angels"!

An announcement must be coming sooner rather than later - obviously this was launched too early and taken down, but nothing has been edited before reupload. XCX3 is alive and breathing!

I mean Rita Ora isn't a great example - she is more appealing to the public than Charli in terms of her music, she's a trend chaser (not a bad thing). And I know she's done lots of promo and performances but Atlantic didn't exactly make it easy for her to get her album out. She had a #2 hit in the UK and they delayed her album in hopes of US success. I think 1999 is the start of them rebuilding her brand as a popstar in the UK and hopefully with each single they'll get better at promoting her.

I think once a song has been on the charts (maybe top 40) for 9 or more weeks, they don't count streams from certain platforms in order to give other artists a chance to climb - otherwise it would be a top 10 of Ariana, Drake and Travis Scott for like 9 months haha. I believe it's in effect since beginning of December, or late November (not sure though).

I think an album is confirmed pretty much, due to the announcement from Asylum as well as the info on her store etc. I don't think Charli would even entertain the idea if something wasn't happening - she knows her fans haha. I'm expecting the next single January / February (however I wouldn't be mad if she dropped something for XCXmas)

I don't think her label were desperate for it to go top 10 (they were probably expecting top 40), obviously they would be pleased but it was Charli most likely trolling us when she said that's the only way we'd get the album. Promotion in the beginning was difficult cos she had commitments on the Reputation tour - and I mean they did get her on playlists, the 2 music videos, remixes and there was digital promo on Spotify and Apple Music etc. Again, they probably didn't want to commit fully in fear of the song flopping. Also wasn't it gonna be a miracle if 1999 went top 10 due to the new streaming rules? I'm sure it had already been on the charts too long and they do that weird thing were certain streams don't get counted after so many weeks.

I feel like she's always had a very clear and distinct aesthetic that's carried into her music, performances and visuals. Like I can't imagine any of the current pop girls, say Rita Ora for example doing album covers like Number 1 Angel or Pop 2. I think she definitely has a brand, it just evolves faster than most and I think the label struggle to target her to a particular audience. That was my point with Sucker, towards the end of the era they seemed to have an understanding of her as an artist and how to pitch her - then she changes it up. It must be difficult, like 5 In The Morning was on trend and mainstream (trap influenced almost), Girls Night Out is very much targeted at the LGBTQ+ community and then 1999 has become a radio hit. I'm not blaming Charli or excusing her label, but it must be a challenge trying to grasp her audience.

It's just purely opinion haha. I think Madonna is able to take more risks as an established artist who already has a legacy, she has a worldwide fan base who've supported her for 30+ years and therefore maybe less pressure from the label for success - plus her single had big names like Diplo and Nicki Minaj involved. Whereas Charli had only experienced some success with one album and maybe the label felt it was too risky to release the SOPHIE tracks (especially as an introduction to her new album) after having hits with Boom Clap and Doing It - ultimately steering her towards more watered down versions of experimental pop.

I don't understand your logic. She's already achieved multiple top 10 hits as a solo artist and a collaborator. Her latest single in a year just peaked at #13 off the back of minor promotion in the UK. Charli is 8 years into her career, but to the public she is still an up and coming artist, she's experienced success previously but I think her best is yet to come. With the right song and promotion I think she would easily bag another top 10 hit if not several more in the upcoming years.

Responding to why she can't seem to get an album out, this is my thoughts... Charli is in a compromising position when it comes to her label... True Romance bombed after three attempts to launch the era, she was an alternative pop artist in 2011 through to 2013 and I don't think they knew how to manage to her. With Sucker they didn't really have anything to lose, only gain until the success of Fancy and Boom Clap. Once Boom Clap became a huge global hit, Sucker was delayed and watered to down to be more pop and appealing - even the single choices prove this. She had two top 10 hits and top 20 album in the UK. I think at this time her label kind of had an idea of who she was as a popstar and how to market her. Then in 2015 she changed her sound again, obviously her vision for XCX3 being much more pop - but experimental. Vroom Vroom marked the beginning of the 3rd album era and she even stated she wanted it to be the first single from the album. Atlantic obviously didn't want to push the SOPHIE tracks (being too inaccessible for the GP), hence her launching her own label and releasing it that way. Once again Atlantic got her to water down the music and make it more commercial, After The Afterparty being the lead single and it flopped, just making the top 40 in the UK. Then we had Bounce, and the negative feedback of that performance in the US. So they went back to the drawing board and attempted to relaunch the album with Boys, bringing in new producers and new writers (her only single she hasn't written) - even though it was a viral hit, it didn't do any better than After The Afterparty on the charts. And then a draft of the whole album leaked - meaning she could drop it there and then and flop or go back to square one. All in all, I think Charli's ever evolving sound and vision may have been the problem, her label just didn't know what to do with her. They tried the emo-alt pop aesthetic, then she went punk pop and then dabbled and stayed in PC music for a while. They're isn't much consistency in terms of appealing to a larger audience, not necessarily a bad thing, just makes her music difficult to market. With artists like Dua Lipa, Rita Ora, Zara Larsson etc. You kind of know what you're getting, with Charli it could be anything judging by her discography. I know we all complain but I think the best thing has happened with her delaying the album and dropping the mixtapes and singles instead. She was able to explore sounds and collaborate with artists; experimenting much more than she would've been able to on an album - also her fanbase has grown massively since Sucker, and she finally has a sound that's unique to her. Off the back of 1999 and it's success, it's obvious that her label now want to try and launch an album - I'm not expecting huge success but it's a step further.

So... do we really think an album is out of question now? Or was she and still is trolling...