A Brief History of Charli XCX’s Songwriting

More than just a performer, Charli XCX is one of the hottest songwriters in the music industry right now.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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If Charli XCX isn’t a household name yet, she’s certainly well on her way. At only 22 years of age, the British singer-songwriter has been slowly but surely infiltrating the music industry for nearly a decade. Charli—born Charlotte Aitchison—seemed to emerge from left field to co-write and sing the hook of 2012’s biggest pop breakthrough, Swedish duo Icona Pop’s hedonistic shout-along “I Love It.” But she’s been writing songs for herself and others for years, having signed a record deal at age 16 and releasing a steady stream of tight, but idiosyncratic, pop that’s inspired in turn by the likes of Salem, Serge Gainsbourg, and the Spice Girls.

Though “I Love It” represented Charli’s official crossover into the mainstream, 2014 has been her biggest year so far. She had her first Billboard No. 1 single this year as a featured artist and composer on Iggy Azalea’s hit track “Fancy,” as well as her first chart-topper as a solo artist with “Boom Clap,” which is the exuberant lead single from The Fault in Our Stars’ soundtrack. Oh, and she also graced Complex's cover and revealed her aspirations to “change the landscape of pop music.”

In advance of her second studio album, Sucker, which she has described as a punk record that turned into a pop record, along with hints at forthcoming co-writing projects with some of the biggest names in pop (think Rihanna), we’ve compiled a history of Charli’s songwriting credits so far. If you thought 2014 was big, you might want to brace yourself for what’s to come from the talented artist moving forward.

Early Work

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Icona Pop “I Love It”

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Marina & the Diamonds f/ Charli XCX “Just Desserts”

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Benga “Smile”

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Iggy Azalea “Fancy” and “Beg for It”

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Ryn Weaver “OctaHate”

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Neon Jungle “So Alive”

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“Boom Clap” and Hilary Duff

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Writing for Britney Spears and Rita Ora

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Up Next: Rihanna, Gwen Stefani, Sky Ferreira, and More

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