Hans Zimmer. John Williams. Ludwig Göransson. Joe Hisaishi. And now Charli XCX. All considered some of the greatest composers of film soundtracks known to man.
Charlotte Aitchison, better known as Charli XCX, is a 33-year-old British singer-songwriter who experiments with every flavor of pop you could imagine, released her biggest album ever, “Brat,” just over a year ago. This chart-topping album led to a ubiquitous pop culture movement in the summer of 2024 known as “Brat summer,” characterized by a renaissance of anything Y2K — the party-girl aesthetic, the carefree attitude — now leads us to ask: what’s next for Charli after a culturally iconic moment like that?
The next project for Charli XCX, of course, is to write an album of original songs for the 2026 remake of Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights”, which is set to release this February. Obviously. The first single, “Chains of Love,” was released on November 17th.
“Chains of Love” is a song that I can only describe as melancholic pop, ushered in by distant-sounding drums, layered, eerie-sounding gatherings of strings and Aitchison’s sweeping vocals with a signature delay. Coming from someone who has historically only enjoyed her more upbeat hits like “party 4 u” or “I Love It,” I still thoroughly enjoyed my listening experience — especially the process of trying to figure out what her lyrics might be pointing towards.
From what I can tell, she seems to be reflecting on a toxic and codependent relationship, explaining all the things she would rather do than endure the pain of being with this person and ending her list by realizing “[she] can’t let go.”
The academics at Genius Lyrics have unfortunately not yet enlightened us with their insights, so you and I will both just have to sit on the edge of our seats for a few months until their profound wisdom is published.
Vulnerably, I’ll say that this song’s second verse hit me deep and hooked me on the rest of the song and soundtrack: “No matter how hard I try / I’m here so permanently, yeah / And I wait for your call / (I can’t let go).”
However, Aitchison’s decision to partner with the film’s director, Emerald Fennel, in creating the soundtrack, is directly opposed to the above verse. Aitchison is letting go of a massive success in order to create something different. To everyone wondering “Why?” about this odd collaboration between Charli XCX and “Wuthering Heights,” Aitchison responds, “After being so in the depths of my previous album I was excited to escape into something entirely new, entirely opposite.”
To me, this seems a little tone deaf. Oh no, my album is just too much of an exhausting success! Whatever will I spend this money on? My steak is too juicy and my lobster is too buttery! But in another way, it makes sense.
I am still fully on board with this shock-factor collaboration, but I do not think that this upcoming album will be wholly someone else’s narrative or creative vision — the soundtrack will still be completely inspired by Aitchison’s musings.
This is why: she still seems to have an emotional stake in this project, having started immediately after reading a copy of the film’s script and aiming to focus on immersion in a world rather than trying to top “Brat” or recreate its success. When I think of “Wuthering Heights” I think of many things. I think of passion and pain,” she said in an interview with Rolling Stone. “I think of England. I think of the Moors, I think of the mud and the cold. I think of determination and grit.”
Aitchison does not seem to be daunted by deciding her next move on the heels of a massive hit of an album — she is committed to doing exactly what inspires and excites her. This is an artist that will re-release an album with three additional songs and call it “Brat” and it’s the same but there’s three more songs so it’s not or release the same album but remixed and featuring other artists and call it “Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat.” That is special.
I can appreciate that authenticity and individuality. Additionally, Aitchison seems to have a sense of detachment from her name and iconic brand in the midst of this season: “This collection of songs is an album, and sure, my name’s on the credits, but is it a Charli XCX album?” she said in a Billboard interview. “I don’t even know. Nor do I really care to find out.”
Personally, it would not have occurred to me as a music artist to collaborate on what looks like to be a raunchy, Gen Z celebrity top hits-stuffed remake of an Emily Brontë novel. But to be fair, I do not have the satisfaction of going to sleep at night knowing that I am adored by an entire generation and that I started a billion-dollar cultural phenomenon with one album. I usually either listen to the rain outside or watch YouTube before falling asleep.
Maybe I can try to start a cultural phenomenon: happy “Chains of Love” winter, everybody! We should have a renaissance of caring for others and letting go of things that hurt us.
I think I’ll leave it to Charli.
