Music Review: Charli XCX, “Pop 2”

Music Review: Charli XCX, “Pop 2”

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Charli XCX has a voice that’s inescapable. The English born pop star rose to fame in 2013 after lending her vigorous vocals (and serious songwriting skills) to Swedish DJ duo, Icona Pop, on their hit single “I love It,” and again the following year on rapper Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy.” That same year, Charli XCX’s first international solo hit, “Boom Clap,” was released as the lead single off “The Fault in Our Starsalbum. Charli XCX’s signature style is a unique mixture of pop, punk, and electro, and that’s mainly what helps her stand out from the other, overwhelmingly formulaic, pop acts of today. With her latest mixtape, “Pop 2,” Charli XCX presents a vision of the future of pop music: a deluge of exceptional collaborations, unconventional melodies, and cool, relatable lyrics. Standouts include opener “Backseat” (ft. Carly Rae Jepsen), “Out of My Head” (ft. Tove Lo and ALMA), and “Track 10.” Overall, “Pop 2” offers a strong start for pop music as we head into 2018 – and hopefully, other pop artists can keep up the pace.