Charli xcx Grapples With the Absurd On Her Latest Single “SS26”

Charli xcx in the “SS26” music video.

Charli xcx’s latest single, “SS26,” is a quiet, defeatist examination of the world today, which combines Charli’s tongue-in-cheek lyrics and critique of the various sects of the world that Charli finds herself in. 

“SS26” shows the dichotomy of being in this world of art while simultaneously loving it and wanting to poke fun at its absurdity. Charli sings of writing notes app apologies, using her politics as a press strategy, and her heritage as a unique selling proposition - all these things that are, in hindsight, deeply silly but oft overlooked when used by the very people attending the SS26 fashion shows.

“SS26” and “Rock Music” both juxtapose themself against the rest of her discography. She’s traded in heavily produced pop epics for a more stripped-down sound that gives what she’s putting out so much urgency. 

These singles sound almost as if you hacked into her Google Drive and downloaded MP3s that aren’t quite finished. It’s this lack of polish that makes them more vulnerable, making them simultaneously different yet completely Charli.

“I made a record, and whilst making the record, I made a few songs that felt like a part of the world of the album, but I kind of knew they weren’t ever going to be on the album,” Charli stated in a post to her Instagram account, b.sides. 

 “And so they became this sort of b-sides, I suppose. The things that were like close to making it on the album but are not gonna be on there. And also those songs, the B-sides, are sort of like coupled with some of the songs that are coming out ahead of the album. So you know, “I Keep On Thinking About Every Single Day and Night” is the B-side to “Rock Music” and I think the reason they are paired together, these two songs, are because in ways they’re totally opposite from each other. And that is kind of the main point of them, it’s sort of a mirror.”

Charli stated that the b-sides will not be released to streaming at this time. They will live on her Instagram account “b.sides” and on the 7-inch single vinyl.

You can listen to “SS26” on your streaming service of choice and watch the music video below.