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Girl, So Confusing

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"Girl, So Confusing"
Song by Charli XCX
from the album Brat
Released7 June 2024 (2024-06-07)
GenreIndie dance
Length2:54
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)A. G. Cook
Lyric video
"Girl, So Confusing" on YouTube

"Girl, So Confusing" (stylised in sentence-case) is a song by English singer Charli XCX from her sixth studio album Brat (2024). She wrote the song with its producer A. G. Cook and released it through Atlantic Records. A glitch-influenced indie dance song, "Girl, So Confusing" is built on talk-sing Auto-Tune vocals and a throbbing bassline. It deals with Charli XCX's strained relationship with another female musician.

Upon its release, fans and critics speculated about the subject of the song, with many believing it to be about New Zealand singer Lorde, a fact that Charli XCX later confirmed in a profile interview with Billboard. A remix featuring Lorde was released on 21 June 2024. The remix received universal acclaim from music critics, with many praising the track's lyrics and themes. It charted in the top 40 in New Zealand and the United Kingdom and peaked in mid-tier positions in Australia, Canada, and the United States.

Background

[edit]
Marina Diamandis in 2022
Lorde in 2017
Rina Sawayama in 2023
"Girl, So Confusing" was speculated by fans and critics to be about Marina Diamandis (left), Lorde (middle), and Rina Sawayama (right).

Charli XCX first teased "Girl, So Confusing" in a February 2024 interview with The Face. Shaad D'Souza then wrote that the track was "sure to send Deuxmoi and Discord servers into overdrive" as it "finds Charli singing about the fraught relationship she has with an unnamed female artist".[1] She later clarified on her TikTok account that Brat did not contain any "diss tracks", with the exception of the album's lead single, "Von Dutch" (2024). The singer wrote the song as a way to explore the nuanced and complex relationships female pop artists are expected to maintain between one another in the limelight.[2]

Upon the release of Brat, Out's Mey Rude reported about fans' speculations that the song may be about Japanese and British singer Rina Sawayama, Welsh singer Marina Diamandis or New Zealand singer Lorde. Sawayama and Charli XCX's relationship was reported to be damaged due to a feud between Sawayama and the 1975 frontman Matty Healy,[3] whom Sawayama has accused of racism and owning her master recordings;[4] Charli XCX is engaged to the 1975's drummer George Daniel.[5] The "girl" in the track's title was speculated to be a reference to Sawayama's second studio album Hold the Girl (2022).[6]

The singer and Diamandis collaborated in 2013 on "Just Desserts", a standalone single used to promote Diamandis' the Lonely Hearts Club Tour, with Charli XCX performing as an opening act.[7] In 2016, Charli XCX released a series of fruit-themed photos, shot by photographer Charlotte Rutherford, for an advertisement campaign with British fragrance company Impulse. Diamandis, who had previously worked with Rutherford on the cover artwork for her 2015 single, "Immortal", as well as the photoshoot for her 2015 album Froot and Neon Nature Tour, responded on her Twitter account, writing: "Imagery is artistic property. Please respect your fellow artists."[7] She also responded to an image posted by Charli XCX to her Instagram account, writing: "This Froot looks familiar", which became a meme phrase.[8] Charli XCX responded, stating that she did not use Diamandis' artwork for inspiration on the advertisement campaign as she was unaware of the illustrations, but confessed that after seeing the images, they shared similarities with Diamandis' photoshoot.[9] In a comment posted on Charli XCX's 360_brat Instagram account in 2023, Charli stated that she felt "really hurt and upset and confused" by Diamandis' decision to respond publicly to the situation, further leading speculations of the song's subject being Diamandis.[8]

Composition and lyrics

[edit]

"Girl, So Confusing" has been described as a glitch-influenced indie dance song[10][11] built on talk-sing Auto-Tune vocals and a throbbing bassline.[12][13] The New York Times wrote that the production had a "strobe-lit beat",[14] while Pitchfork called the song "sparkly" and "scuzzy".[15] Charli XCX's vocals were compared to those of American-French singer Uffie by PopMatters, describing them as having a "husky timbre" before changing into "unimaginably catchy spirals."[16] NME compared its production to Charli XCX's 2017 hyperpop mixtape, Pop 2.[13] Consequence noted that the pitched-up "Girl!" vocal samples sound "chipper and deflated".[17] According to Renowned for Sound, the song incorporates fuzzy synths and pitched backing vocals.[18]

Upon release, the song was widely discussed by media outlets, due to its subject matter.[19] The lyric, "Think you should come to my party / And put your hands up" was interpreted to be a response to Lorde's 2013 single, "Team", where she sings, "I'm kind of over gettin' told to throw my hands up in the air / So there".[20] The line "You're all about writing poems" was viewed as a reference to Lorde's poetic songwriting and Melodrama track, "Writer in the Dark" (2017).[2] Exclaim! described the song as being a "bit petty, a bit sweet, bravely embarrassing, and combative". During an interview with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang for their Las Culturistas podcast, Charli XCX affirmed that while she respects the growing companionship between female artists in pop music, she also sees the nuances between said relationships: "I don't think you become a bad feminist if you maybe don't see eye to eye with every single woman. That's not the nature of human beings. There's a competitiveness between us. There's envy. There's camaraderie. There's all of these different dynamics."[19]

Lorde remix

[edit]
"Girl, So Confusing featuring Lorde[a]"
Black and white picture of Charli XCX looking at herself in the mirror
Remix by Charli XCX and Lorde
from the album Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat
Released21 June 2024 (2024-06-21)
Genre
Length3:26
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)A. G. Cook
Audio video
"Girl, So Confusing featuring Lorde" on YouTube

Background and release

[edit]

Lorde experienced mainstream success after releasing her debut single "Royals" and debut album Pure Heroine in 2013.[21] The artist's aesthetic and physical features were compared by media outlets to those of Charli,[22] who also released her debut album True Romance that same year and achieved mainstream success with her 2012 collaboration "I Love It" with Swedish synth-pop duo Icona Pop.[23] In a 2014 interview, Charli XCX was mistaken for Lorde when the interviewer asked her about the inspiration for "her" song "Royals". Charli XCX did not correct the interviewer but rather played along and answered the question,[24] inspiring a decade-long meme comparing the two singers.[25]

In a May 2024 interview with Rolling Stone UK, Charli XCX revealed she had initially been envious of Lorde and her commercial success with "Royals". She said: "[Lorde] had big hair; I had big hair. She wore black lipstick; I once wore black lipstick. You create these parallels and think, 'Well, that could have been me.'"[26] However, the envy was brief and the two singers eventually ended up on good terms. She confessed that their different musical styles had assured her that they were "two completely different people" and that she thought this way due to insecurities about her own work.[26]

Charli XCX attempted communication with Lorde for a collaboration for almost a year but was unsuccessful in meeting with the singer to write material.[27] In a Billboard interview, she stated that this "spoke to the narrative of the song itself."[27] A day before releasing Brat, Charli XCX sent Lorde a voice note explaining that she was the inspiration behind the song. She revealed to New Zealand radio DJ Zane Lowe on his Apple Music 1 show that she was prepared for Lorde to "never speak to her again." Due to time zone differences between Charli and Lorde, who resides in New Zealand, she heard the song before receiving Charli's message.[28] Lorde replied instantly, however, apologizing for her actions and suggested that she feature on a remix of the track. Charli XCX revealed that the remix took 3 days to materialize.[29]

Upon the release of Brat, Lorde extensively praised the album on her Instagram Stories, revealing it was the "only album [she's] ever pre-saved".[19] On 11 June 2024, Lorde attended Charli XCX's show at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater.[2] Charli XCX announced a collaboration with Lorde on 20 June by hiring a team of house painters who painted Lorde's name on a white wall located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.[30] A remix of the track with Lorde was released the following day.[2] The remix was included as the tenth track on her first remix album, Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat.[31] Lorde stated that writing her verse for the remix led her to feel "deep empathy" for Charli XCX, but "misunderstood" with a sense of urgency to "make it right" between the two.[32] The singer also credits Charli XCX for opening a "channel" between them and allowing her to say things she had not said before.[32] After the remix was released, Charli XCX posted a screenshot of Lorde's text message in which she sent Charli the entirety of her verse, to which Charli replied, "Fucking hell".[2]

Lyrical interpretation and themes

[edit]

The remix expands on the original track's discussion of complex and competitive dynamics within female friendships,[33][34] jealousy,[35] insecurities,[36] and rivalry,[37] but provides an answer from Lorde, who explores her struggles with body image,[38] disordered eating,[39] and self-confidence on her verse.[39][40] Lorde's verse was described by critics as "honest",[2] "vulnerable",[41] and "cathartic".[42] Clash declared the remix an "inversion" of the original, calling it a "celebration of female energy and a condemnation of the aspects that keep women apart."[43] Similarly, Exclaim! noted that the remix reframed the original track's "nervy monologue into a healing and surprisingly affecting dialogue between two left-field pop stars who've been pitted against one another" since their adolescent years.[39] The lyrics were described by The New York Times as being "mutually messy risk-taking, honest reckoning with the fun-house mirrors of fame and conflict resolution you can dance to."[14]

Critical reception

[edit]

Upon release, the song received universal acclaim from music critics, many of which praised the song's lyrics and themes, calling it one of the most important pop culture moments of the year. Vulture's Jason P. Frank and Alejandra Gularte wrote that Lorde's verse "fits directly into the world of Brat" due to its honesty, adding that "it sheds a whole new light on the Solar Power era."[2] Pitchfork awarded the song its Best New Track distinction, calling it a "meeting of the minds, two great pop stars being vulnerable and self-aware while making a watershed moment in pop in the process."[44] Clash called it a milestone and revelatory, awarding it a 9 out of 10 score.[43] The New York Times called it a refreshing moment,[14] while Exclaim! selected it as one of their staff picks, stating that it was a "watershed moment" amid the "anodyne therapy and straining empowerment" prevalent in the "last decade of pop music".[39] Similarly, Uproxx awarded the song its Best New Pop distinction,[45] while The Guardian called it the year's most powerful pop moment.[46]

The track was further praised by music critics following the release of Brat's remix album, Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat. AP News,[47] Dazed,[48] and DIY ranked the song as the best song from the remix album.[49] Billboard ranked it fifth in their song ranking of the remix album, with Katie Bain stating that the track helped to "draw out the true confessions of big stars like Ariana Grande and the 1975's Matty Healy."[50]

Critical rankings for Girl, So Confusing
Critic/Organization Time span Rank Published
year
The Independent Year-end 1 2024[51]
Paste Decade-end 16 2024[52]
Pitchfork 25 2024[53]

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for "Girl, So Confusing"
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[54] 50
Australia Dance (ARIA)[55] 3
Ireland (IRMA)[56] 26
UK Singles (OCC)[57] 28
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[58] 24
Chart performance for "Girl, So Confusing featuring Lorde"
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[59] 57
Global 200 (Billboard)[60] 59
Greece International (IFPI)[61] 99
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[62] 24
US Billboard Hot 100[63] 63
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[64] 3

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[65] Gold 40,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The remix was originally titled "The Girl, So Confusing version with Lorde" in sentence-case with the artist's name spelled in lowercase.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ D'Souza, Shaad (19 February 2024). "Charli XCX knows you're obsessed with her". The Face. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Frank, Jason P.; Gularte, Alejandra (21 June 2024). "Which Pop Girl Is 'Girl, So Confusing' About?". Vulture. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  3. ^ Bowenbank, Starr (30 August 2023). "Charli XCX Explains Why She Unfollowed Rina Sawayama on Instagram". Billboard. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  4. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (24 June 2023). "'I've had enough': pop star Rina Sawayama criticises comments by labelmate Matty Healy". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  5. ^ Mzezewa, Tariro (29 November 2023). "Charli XCX and the 1975's George Daniel Are Engaged". The Cut. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  6. ^ Rude, Mey (7 June 2024). "Fans think Charli XCX's song 'Girl, so confusing' is about one of these 3 fellow pop stars". Out. Archived from the original on 12 June 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  7. ^ a b Nolfi, Joey (11 March 2016). "Charli XCX: Marina & the Diamonds Twitter feud". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  8. ^ a b Mier, Tomás (21 June 2024). "Marina 'Cried Listening' to Charli XCX, Lorde Heal on 'Girl, So Confusing'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  9. ^ Britton, Luke Morgan (11 March 2016). "Charli XCX responds to Marina and the Diamonds over photoshoot similarity". NME. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  10. ^ Firth, Abigail (7 June 2024). "Charli XCX - Brat". Dork. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  11. ^ Garvey, Meaghan (7 June 2024). "Charli XCX: Brat Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  12. ^ Staples, Louis (25 June 2024). "From Charli XCX and Lorde to Monica and Brandy, musicians are working it out on the remix". Harper's Bazaar. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  13. ^ a b Mylrea, Hannah (6 June 2024). "Charli XCX – 'Brat' review: pop pioneer fully embraces the dancefloor". NME. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  14. ^ a b c Zoladz, Lindsay (21 June 2024). "Charli XCX and Lorde End the Rumors on a Refreshing Remix". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  15. ^ Garvey, Meaghan (7 June 2024). "Charli XCX: Brat Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  16. ^ Malone, Nick (11 June 2024). "Charli XCX Is Everything on 'Brat'". PopMatters. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  17. ^ Ragusa, Paolo (5 June 2024). "Charli XCX's Brat is Abrasive, Absurd, and Irresistible: Review". Consequence. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  18. ^ Bulbeck, Ryan. "Album Review: Charli XCX – Brat". Renowned for Sound. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  19. ^ a b c Garcia, Thania (6 June 2024). "Lorde Praises Charli XCX's 'Brat' Album Amid Speculation That 'Girl, So Confusing' Is About Her: 'There Is No One Like This B—-'". Variety. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  20. ^ Nolfi, Joey (24 September 2024). "Charli XCX, Lorde move beyond past feud with surprise 'Girl, So Confusing' performance on tour". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  21. ^ "Lorde's 'Pure Heroine' Hits 1 Million in Sales". Billboard. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  22. ^ Goldberg, Alyssa (28 June 2024). "Lorde, Charli XCX's viral moment and the truth about friendship breakups". USA Today. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  23. ^ D. Duran, Jose (25 September 2024). "Charli XCX Was Leading Pop Music Long Before Brat". Miami New Times. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  24. ^ Thatcher, Kirsty (24 June 2024). "Charli XCX and Lorde Just Worked It Out on the Remix". Elle. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  25. ^ Rigotti, Alex (17 May 2024). "Charli XCX admits being "super jealous" of Lorde's 'Royals' success". NME. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  26. ^ a b Ewens, Hannah (16 May 2024). "Charli XCX: The Anatomy Of A (3-D) Female Pop Star". Rolling Stone UK. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  27. ^ a b Robinson, Kristin (17 July 2024). "'Brat' Unfiltered: Charli XCX on How She Stole the Summer (and Worked It Out with Lorde on the Remix)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  28. ^ Gomez, Jade (8 October 2024). "Charli xcx Reveals Lorde Heard 'Girl, So Confusing' Before She Could Tell Her About the Song". People. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  29. ^ Singh, Surje (18 July 2024). "Charli XCX reveals 'Girl, so confusing' remix was Lorde's idea". NME. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  30. ^ Mlnarik, Carson (2 July 2024). "A Brief History of Charli XCX's Brat Wall". Nylon. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  31. ^ Dunworth, Liberty (12 September 2024). "Charli XCX announces "'Brat' and it's completely different but also still 'Brat'"". NME. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  32. ^ a b Dailey, Hannah (17 July 2024). "Lorde Says She Felt 'Misunderstood' by Charli XCX Before They Teamed Up on 'Girl, So Confusing'". Billboard. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  33. ^ Spanos, Brittany (3 June 2024). "Charli XCX Is Dancing on the Edge With 'Brat'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  34. ^ Valentine, Claire (6 June 2024). "What's Going On Between Charli XCX and Lorde?". W. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  35. ^ Guglielmi, Jody (6 June 2024). "Lorde Praises Charli XCX's New Album Amid 'Brat' Track Beef Speculation". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  36. ^ Frank, Jason P. (20 June 2024). "Lorde Is Singing About Being on a Charli XCX Remix While on a Charli XCX Remix". Vulture. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  37. ^ Shewfelt, Raechel (17 July 2024). "Lorde felt 'misunderstood' after hearing Charli XCX's 'Girl, So Confusing' and wanted to 'make it right'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  38. ^ Carter, Daisy (21 June 2024). "Charli XCX Teams Up with Lorde for Remix of 'Girl, So Confusing'". DIY.
  39. ^ a b c d Bell, Kaelen (21 June 2024). "Charli XCX and Lorde's "Girl, so confusing" Remix Finds Healing in Confrontation". Exclaim!. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  40. ^ Partridge, Ben (21 June 2024). "Charli xcx and Lorde Work Through Some Stuff on the New Version of "Girl, so confusing"". Genius. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  41. ^ Bansinath, Bindu (21 June 2024). "Lorde Gets Vulnerable on the Charli XCX Remix". The Cut. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  42. ^ Laughlin, Alex (24 June 2024). "Charli XCX, Lorde, and the Trap of the "Girl's Girl"". Defector. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  43. ^ a b Murray, Robin (21 June 2024). "Charli XCX, Lorde Combine on 'Girl, so confusing' Remix – It's a Milestone". Clash. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  44. ^ Larson, Jeremy D. (21 June 2024). "Charli XCX / Lorde: "The girl, so confusing version with lorde"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  45. ^ Rossignol, Derrick (21 June 2024). "Charli XCX And Lorde Work It Out on the Remix with Their New 'Girl, So Confusing' Rework". Uproxx. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  46. ^ Kheraj, Alim (21 June 2024). "Charli XCX and Lorde's conflict resolution is the year's most powerful pop moment". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  47. ^ Sherman, Maria (12 October 2024). "Music Review: Charli XCX's 'Brat and it's completely different but also still brat' remixes, ranked". AP News. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  48. ^ Pace-McCarick, Solomon (11 October 2024). "Ranking the Charli xcx Brat remixes". Dazed. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  49. ^ Wright, Lisa (11 October 2024). "'Brat and it's completely different but also still brat': ranking the remixes". DIY. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  50. ^ Bain, Katie (11 October 2024). "Charli XCX's 'Brat & It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat': All 16 Remixes Ranked". Billboard. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  51. ^ O'Connor, Roisin; White, Adam; Chilton, Louis; Nugent, Annabel (16 November 2024). "The 20 best songs of 2024, ranked". The Independent. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  52. ^ Paste Staff (16 October 2024). "The 100 Best Songs of the 2020s So Far". Paste. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  53. ^ Pitchfork Staff (30 September 2024). "The 100 Best Songs of the 2020s So Far". Pitchfork. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  54. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 1 July 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  55. ^ "ARIA Top 20 Dance Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 1 July 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  56. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  57. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  58. ^ "Charli XCX Chart History (Hot Dance/Electronic Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  59. ^ "Charli XCX Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  60. ^ "Charli XCX Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  61. ^ "Official IFPI Charts − Digital Singles Chart (International) − Εβδομάδα: 26/2024" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 3 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  62. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 1 July 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  63. ^ "Charli XCX Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  64. ^ "Charli XCX Chart History (Hot Dance/Electronic Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  65. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Charli XCX – Girl, So Confusing". Music Canada. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
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