Charli XCX fans have been left stunned after discovering the singer's real age. Born Charlotte Emma Aitchison, she is celebrating her birthday today (2 August) and turning 34.
The “Apple” singer's younger fans have reportedly been “freaking out” after realising she is not as young as they assumed. Some thought her career only began with her 2024 album Brat, leaving them shocked to learn she has been in the music industry for over a decade. This comes just after they also learned what the letters in her stage name really mean.
'Gen Z fans freak out'
One person posted on Reddit: “I've already seen several Gen Z freak out on Twitter this morning because they didn't realise one of their faves was a Millennial.”
Another added: “How old are these people who don't remember she had a massive hit in 2012/13? Then I remembered, if you're 17, you were five then.”
A third wrote: “It's so funny, they seem to think anyone over 25 shrivels into dust.”
A Millennial, not Gen Z
Generational definitions vary, but Millennials are generally considered to be born between 1981 and 1996, while Gen Z is generally defined as those born between 1997 and 2012. Born in 1992, Charli falls firmly in the Millennial bracket.
She began her career by posting songs on MySpace in 2008, aged 16, and had her breakout hit in 2012 when she co-wrote and featured on Icona Pop's “I Love It”. In 2014, she featured on Iggy Azalea's “Fancy” and released her own singles “Boom Clap” and “Break the Rules”.
'Brat' era and its meaning
Brat, released in 2024, became a viral sensation and spawned the phrase “Brat summer” to describe being confident and carefree. It was actually her sixth studio album, despite some fans thinking it was her debut.
A Reddit post shared after Brat's release noted that while the album explores themes of turning 30 and not wanting to settle down, it seemed to be marketed more toward a Gen Z audience. The poster shared: “Her latest album 'Brat' is basically about turning 30 as a party girl and refusing to wind down, but the media is treating it and the hype around it as a Gen Z phenomenon.”
“I guess it makes sense because it is popular with Gen Z, but it feels like not acknowledging how distinctly millennial the album is ignores a big part of what the record represents.”
No matter how old people think she is, we hope Charli has a wonderful birthday!
