Nigeria: Charli XCX kicks off new ‘music, fashion, film’ era
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Nigeria
Charli XCX stormed Reading Festival on Friday night, delivering a high-energy, era-spanning headline performance that officially launched her next chapter while paying tribute to the songs that made her a pop force.
It was the British singer’s first UK festival show since releasing her new album _Music, Fashion, Film_ — a sharp turn from the hyper-electronic world of 2024’s _Brat_. But instead of leaving _Brat_ behind, Charli blended both worlds, giving 70,000 fans at Richfield Avenue a career retrospective wrapped in bigger production, harder guitars, and a punk attitude
The night began in black and white. Distorted, glitchy visuals of Charli filled the screens as the main stage crowd roared. The first chord hit and it was “Rock Music,” the lead single from _Music, Fashion, Film_.
The song set the tone immediately: guitars louder, drums live, and Charli fronting a full band instead of just DJ and dancers. She came out in a black sparkly blazer, delivering punchy early cuts from the new record including “Wink Wink,” “Yeah,” and “Card Declined.”
About 15 minutes in, she disappeared backstage and returned in a black corseted dress. That costume change marked the shift from the new album into the second act of the show — a journey through her back catalogue.
Charli didn’t pick just the hits. She dug deep. The crowd lost it when she launched into “Track 10” from her 2017 mixtape _Pop 2_, a cult favorite that hasn’t been played at a major UK festival in years.
She then slowed things down for “House,” a melancholic track she co-wrote for the recent _Wuthering Heights_ soundtrack. The contrast showed the range she’s built over 15 years in music — from underground club pop to film work to mainstream chart domination.
But the biggest singalongs came when she returned to _Brat_. “Club Classics,” “365,” and the Grammy-winning “Von Dutch” turned the field into one massive rave. Those songs were the soundtrack to 2024, a year where _Brat_ became more than an album. It became a cultural shorthand for attitude, nightlife, and green. Fans who had been waiting all year for a festival _Brat_ moment finally got it, complete with upgraded staging, more dancers, pyro bursts, and strobes cutting through the night.
For the final act, Charli went back to _Music, Fashion, Film_. The set was built to end on the album’s last track, “No One Lasts Forever.”
The song fades out with filmmaker David Cronenberg’s voice saying: “no one lasts forever / they are dead, they are gone” and “oblivion is freedom.” Charli let those words hang over the crowd as she stood center stage, surrounded by dancers, staring out at Reading as the lights cut to black.
It was a deliberate, cinematic ending — very different from the party-heavy _Brat_ tour finales of last year. This time she wasn’t just throwing a rave. She was making a statement about reinvention.
Charli wasn’t the only headliner Friday. Fontaines D.C. followed her on the main stage, making it a double-headline opening night. After a 30-minute delay, the Dublin band powered through their set with “Favourite,” “I Love You,” and closed with their Grammy-nominated “Starbuster” from _Romance_, with the crowd chanting every word back.
Earlier, grime legend Skepta brought his own _Brat_ energy to the main stage, performing in a lime green waterproof jacket as rain poured down. His rendition of “it rains, it pours” from “Praise the Lord (Da Shine)” with A$AP Rocky felt made for the weather. He closed with “Victory Lap” alongside Fred Again.. and PlaqueBoyMax, getting the crowd jumping before the downpour.
In the new Gallery tent, US rock band Geese drew a packed, sweaty crowd for guitar-heavy tracks “Half Real” and “100 Horses.” BBC Radio 1’s Sound of 2026 winner Skye Newman also impressed there with her husky vocals on “FU & UF” and “Family Matters.”
Jamie T kicked off the main stage at midday with a 33-minute set — a nod to his new single “3310” — and fired through indie staples “Zombie” and “Sticks N Stones.”
Reading 2026 was more than just another festival headline. It was Charli drawing a line between two eras.
Brat made her a global phenomenon. Music, Fashion, Film_ appears to be her pushing into rock, live instrumentation, and a rawer sound, while still keeping the dance-pop DNA that made her famous.
The production reflected that. It was bigger than the _Brat_ tour — more costume changes, more dancers, more band moments — but it never felt like she was abandoning her club roots. Instead, she positioned herself as an artist who can do both the underground and the arena.
Fans left the main stage talking about two things: how good the new songs sounded live, and how cathartic it was to hear old favorites in a festival setting again.
With Reading and Leeds running all weekend, Charli set a high bar. Organizers have said this year’s six headliners — including Dave, RAYE, Chase & Status, and Florence + The Machine — are only playing these two UK festivals in 2026.
If Friday night was any indication, Charli XCX isn’t interested in repeating herself. She’s using the biggest stages to show how far she’s come, from _Pop 2_ deep cuts to _Brat_ to a new rock-leaning future.
