Although many celebrities have shifted their entire careers online to accommodate fans during the COVID-19 pandemic, few have an impact like Charli XCX. On May 15, the English singer released her new album, “how i’m feeling now,” that she created entirely in self-isolation.
Charli announced the project on April 6 during a Zoom session with her fans.
“My positivity goes hand in hand with being creative,” She explained. “I really need to be creative to feel happy and to make sure my mental health is staying on track.”
This fourth studio album was written, produced and recorded in just under six weeks in collaboration with her fans. Throughout production, Charli posted weekly YouTube videos updating fans on the behind-the-scenes process.
The disorienting mood of the album is set with the chaotic and confrontational opening track, “Pink Diamond.” The track encapsulates the frustration and stress that many people have felt during quarantine with industrial beats and entrancing chords.
The adrenaline-fueled ride continues seamlessly with the second track, “Forever.” Fun, upbeat and inspiring, this song is one of my favorites because it speaks of loving someone while living in a locked-down world. The chorus, layered with manipulative vocals, couldn’t be more relevant as Charli gently promises, “I’ll love you forever / even when we’re not together.”
“Claws,” the third track, is the most colorful song in the album with a message that brings us back to reality. Accompanied by a music video that screams “green screen party,” Charli’s electric vocals make this a great song to dance to. The chorus simply repeats the lyrics, “I like, I like, I like, I like, I like everything about you” and was inspired by being quarantined with her boyfriend. Charli released the video file for fans to edit the green screen themselves.
As a fan of some of her earlier work, like the 2014 hit “Boom Clap” and 2019’s “Silver Cross,” the remaining tracks in the album were a pleasant surprise that showcased Charli’s maturity and growth as an artist. This album’s composition was edgy and loud, speaking to an audience facing an anxious and claustrophobic time. Her artistic and fresh expression highlights the impact this global disruption has on music and creative cultures.
The next three tracks, “7 Years,” “Detonate” and “Enemy” have strong rhythms and exciting lyrics. Charli’s echoing voice in “7 Years” gives the song a lingering quality, like being part of a hypnotic dream. The lighthearted and fluttery vibes of “Detonate” transport listeners to a space of reflection. The most relatable lyrics to me are, “I’m not tryna be rude / I’m just feelin’ confused” – a snarky but honest remark about the complex emotions that come with living in self-isolation.
The album closes on a lively yet tender tone with “Party 4 U” and “Visions.”
Overall, “how i’m feeling now” fuses a new experimental electronic sound with Charli’s classic pop presence. Her transformation is lovely and raw while still reminiscent of the 2012 “I Love It” days. The dedicated and innovative approach to Charli’s quarantine album reassures us that through the current distance and heartache, there is comfort and power in music.
