The camaraderie that Charli xcx exemplified drove me and my friends out of the house and into the Brooklyn nights to find the best parties we could. I saw Charli xcx play live a handful of times, including a raucous show in the basement of a hotel. Only a few years later, I was hindered by twinks without any sense of spatial awareness. Still, the grindset remained. “Trophy” provided the mantra: “Take the crown, shut it down, ’bout to steal the show/ Shooting star, I’m a boss, Marilyn Monroe.” Sure, it was sometimes unclear if the party was mirroring vacuity or satirizing it. But for a time, even nihilistic partying served as a release.
Projects like Vroom Vroom and brat are career highlights because it’s refreshing to see someone be honest about their desires. Tired of sheen and perfection, listeners reward the fretting, nervous envy, and messy girl antics of stars like Charli xcx. Gone are the days of Blair Waldorf and clean girls, we want crashout-era Lindsay Lohan, Lily Allen, and a free Britney. Recklessness is in. “Try to catch me, but you’re too slow,” Charli winks to the good girls on her way to the afterparty.