Charli XCX fans think new 'Brat' track is about Lorde (2024)

Charli XCX’s new song “Girl, so confusing” has fans thinking it’s about Lorde. (Getty)

Charli XCX’s new album seems to be her answer to a meme comparing her to Lorde.

To us, the lyrics to track 10 on Brat have more than one meaning. “Girl, so confusing” refers both to how “confusing” it is to be a woman, and how confusing Charli finds some of the women in her life. One of those women, according to fans, could be Lorde.

“People say we’re alike, they say we’ve got the same hair,” Charli sings, making reference to a meme about Lorde’s 2013 hit, “Royals”.

When a journalist told Charli said she was a huge fan of her music – accidentally mentioning “Royals” – Charli went with the flow. Ten years later, and the meme has stuck, with the Cambridge-born artist talking about it on numerous occasions.

“We talk about making music, but I don’t know if it’s honest. Can’t tell if you wanna see me,” she sings on “Girl, so confusing”.

Ardent XCX fans have linked the lyric to a post Charli once shared on her not-so-secret Instagram account @360_brat, after one follower asked whether she’d collaborate with Lorde.

“I want to. We speak about writing a lot but it never seems to happen and I don’t know why,” Charli responded. “I sort of go round and round on it in my head. Like why doesn’t this happen? It’s actually something I want to ask her about.”

And on “Girl, so confusing” she sings: “One day we might make some music, the internet would go crazy.”

Speaking to queer comedians Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers on their podcast Las Culturistas ahead of Brat’s release, LGBTQ+ ally Charli declined to name the musician in question, but hinted that it is who we’re thinking it is.

“I haven’t quite decided whether I’m revealing,” she said. “People are gonna guess… I think you both probably have an accurate guess. It’s probably that person.”

But other fans have surmised the song could be about “Froot” singer Marina Diamandis, or “This Hell” musician Rina Sawayama – both of whom Charli has collaborated with, but with whom she has also butted heads.

Quite who it is about remains to be seen, but either way, “Green Light” singer Lorde doesn’t seem to mind. Writing a rare post on her Instagram Stories yesterday (6 June), she revealed Brat is the only album she’s ever pre-saved ahead of its release.

“Charli just cooked this one different. So much grit, grace and skin in the game,” she wrote. “I speak for all of us when I say it’s an honour to be moved, changed and gagged by her work. There is no one like this b*tch.”

Lorde, or whoever “Girl, so confusing” is about, doesn’t seem to be the only musician sings about on Brat.

On track three, “Sympathy is a Knife”, Charli sings of “one girl [who] taps my insecurities” – and according to fans, it’s pretty clear that it’s about Taylor Swift.

“Don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show,” sings Charli, who is engaged to The 1975 musician George Daniel. “Fingers crossed behind my back, I hope they break up quick,” she continues.

And which other singer was in a relationship with a fellow member of The 1975 for a short period in 2023? Well, there we are.

Brat is out now.