Charli XCX happy with a support role
CHARLI XCX reckons she is better off being the support act — because she’s ‘too offensive’ to be centre stage.
The hedonistic pop singer wrapped her final show with megastar chum Taylor Swift in Texas at the weekend, and talked Guilty Pleasures through the hangovers… and how to Shake It Off.
Assessing the scrutiny that her road show pal lives under, Charli says: ‘I am lucky I don’t have to deal with that, because no one really cares about that s*** with me. Which is great, because it is really messy and I wouldn’t want everybody knowing my s***.’
Seeing the circus that surrounds Tay up close, the Doing It singer adds: ‘I can’t speak for Taylor but it must be this added element of, “What the f*** is going on?” It must be crazy.’
The 26-year-old, who sang Shake It Off with Swift, 28, and fellow pop siren Camila Cabello, 21, each night of the tour, says Tay is ‘sweet, professional, cool and funny. I really respect her. She really is a great businesswoman… smart and on it.’
While there was a trio of stars on stage each night, Charli insists it was never a case of three’s a crowd. ‘I think there is often a misconception that girls are really competitive. This doesn’t feel like that. It’s just really chill.’ And being the side show suits her, adding: ‘I’ve never really been a commercial person in the way I am, look and what I wear. I am probably offending someone by saying the wrong thing.
‘If I was prime centre I would be too offensive. I feel like I get to do things on my own terms, which I wouldn’t change for the world.’
Having worked with Sia and Selena Gomez, too, Charli reveals she and fellow Brit Dua Lipa are now cooking up something in the studio.
After dropping new tune 1999 with Troye Sivan on Friday, Charli says: ‘I like working with my friends and people I can party with.
‘That’s why I have done a few songs with Rita (Ora), cos I am like, “Great, now we can go out”. Dua and I have spoken about doing stuff together. She is so great.’
As for after-parties on the road with Taylor, Charli admits sometimes the booze defeats her. ‘There’s two different types of hangover. The one where things are OK… you feel a bit floaty and dreamy, but you can get by.’
She adds that at the end of the show you have ‘a glass of champagne in the evening to celebrate — well done you survived!
‘But if it is one of those hangovers where it is like, “Game over”, I will just sit in a dark room all day and not talk to anyone, let 24 hours go by and re-emerge as a little goblin.’
Author: Andrei Harmsworth
