Charli XCX’s Reading Festival headline set brought together the world of Brat with the darker, more cinematic direction of her new era.

Photo by Henry Redcliffe

Words by Martyna Rozenbajgier

The production is noticeably bigger than the stripped-back chaos associated with Brat. Dancers appear throughout the show; there are several outfit changes, and a live band, dressed entirely in black, accompanies her. Much of the performance is shown in stark black and white across the huge screens, matching the mood of her new Music, Fashion, Film era. The stage is more elaborate too, with carefully constructed visual moments throughout.

Charli opens with new material, emerging in a sparkly grey blazer, push-up bra and glittering heels. The new music is given space to establish its own identity, and the crowd is more than willing to follow her there, singing along and embracing the new songs alongside the old classics they already know.

After “Card Declined”, she returns in a blue dress for “Track 10”, one of the defining tracks from her 2017 mixtape Pop 2. The mood shifts again with “House”, the melancholic song she co-wrote for the recent Wuthering Heights soundtrack. At one point, Charli lies on the floor as flames erupt from the stage around her, creating one of the night’s most striking images.

Then comes Brat.

“Club Classics”, “365”, “360”, “Sympathy Is A Knife”, “Von Dutch” and “Guess” send the crowd into a frenzy, with thousands of voices singing along. The new material had already been warmly received, but these songs have the advantage of familiarity, belonging to an era that became a cultural phenomenon and propelled Charli to new heights.

“2007” brings another theatrical moment, as a dancer hands Charli a cigarette before the performance begins. The choreography, costume changes and visuals all contribute to the feeling that this is more than a straightforward festival set.

The show continues to move between her past and present, with new songs sitting alongside fan favourites. Later, “Party 4 U” and “Playboy Bunny” give the crowd another chance to sing along before Charli returns to the world of Music, Fashion, Film. Rather than feeling like a retrospective, the set feels like Charli introducing her audience to what comes next while still celebrating what came before.

That makes the ending particularly effective.

“No One Lasts Forever” closes the set with filmmaker David Cronenberg’s voice echoing around the festival site. Charli and her dancers gather on a platform, standing completely still as the words repeat: “They are dead. They are gone. No one lasts forever.”

There is no speech or sentimental farewell. Charli simply stares out across the crowd, surrounded by her dancers. It is an audacious final image and one of the most memorable moments of the night.

Photos by Henry Redcliffe