Charli XCX has revealed that the cover of her album 'Music, Fashion, Film'—featuring former Velvet Underground musician John Cale, director Martin Scorsese, and designer Marc Jacobs—was a 'nightmare' to produce. The 34-year-old singer disclosed that the cover photo was taken just one day before the vinyl records for the album, released on July 24, went to print.
Behind the scenes of the cover shoot
Speaking to the BBC, Charli explained the logistical challenges: "I will say it was an absolute nightmare yeah, it was really down to the wire because obviously when you're printing a vinyl you have to get it ready months in advance." She added that there is a strict cut-off date for vinyl production to ensure it coincides with the album release day.
The tight deadline meant any last-minute changes could have been disastrous. "We were down to like the day before that deadline and you know they're busy guys, and we were like if one of them is like, 'oh actually, sorry, can't make it today, can you do tomorrow?', even that slight change would have been quite devastating for us," she said.
A once-in-a-lifetime moment
Despite the stress, all three guests showed up, and Charli described the shoot as "a really emotional moment." Her best friend Aiden Zamiri directed the photograph. "They are my music, fashion, film (heroes) for a number of reasons, but for me, for this record made the most sense (to have them on the cover)," she said.
Charli expressed her awe at the collaboration: "It was one of those moments where I was like, 'this is kind of a once-in-a-lifetime moment this is probably never going to happen again' unless I do a remix album, no no that's probably not happening. It was really sweet and overwhelming."
Live at the BBC
The singer, born Charlotte Aitchison, shared these insights in an interview with BBC's Jack Saunders on 'Charli XCX: Live At The BBC', which also featured live performances of tracks from 'Music, Fashion, Film': 'I'm Afraid', 'SS26', 'Wink Wink', and 'No One Lasts Forever'. The program is available on BBC iPlayer, with performances recorded at Maida Vale Studios also on BBC Music's YouTube channels. Two live tracks will air on Radio 6 Music's New Music Fix show from 7pm, alongside an additional interview.
Charli's previous album 'Brat' (2024) sparked a cultural phenomenon known as "Brat summer," influencing fashion trends. 'Music, Fashion, Film' follows her soundtrack for the film 'Wuthering Heights' and her own film 'The Moment'. She has also appeared in other film projects this year, including 'Erupcja' and '100 Nights Of Hero'. With two UK number one singles and four number one albums, Charli is known for hits like 'Boom Clap', 'Guess', and 'I Love It' with Icona Pop.
