Charli XCX on ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’: “This album is the apex of fine art”

Charli XCX has declared her love for the 1967 album ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’, calling it “the apex of fine art”.

She namechecked the debut album by the influential New York City underground rock band in her acceptance speech at Variety’s Hitmakers Awards on Saturday (December 7), where she picked up the Hitmaker of the Year prize.

As well as naming some of her other musical inspirations – Lana Del Rey, Caroline Polachek, Jack Antonoff – she singled out the seminal LP and its famous Andy Warhol-designed sleeve as a big contributor to her aesthetic.

“In March 1967, The Velvet Underground released their album ‘The Velvet Underground And Nico’,” she said. “It debuted on the Billboard 200 at Number 199. And a few weeks later, it rose to its peak position of 195. But don’t worry, it dropped out, and then it re-entered the charts. And later in life, Lou Reed told Brian Eno that it had only sold around 30,000 copies over its first five years.”

“In my humble opinion, this record is the definition of a hit. This record is arguably one of the most influential and groundbreaking records of our time. This album is the apex of fine art and DIY culture colliding. It’s high and low, it’s poetry meets drugs, it’s earnest meets arrogance, and even if you’re never heard a single song from this album, you’ll undoubtedly recognize its cover, either from the walls of a modern art gallery or from the shop floor of an Urban Outfitters.”

“And let’s be real, what is a hit if you’re not conquering both of those places?” she continued. “My album cover has not yet appeared at the Guggenheim or the Whitney or the Tate. However, some of my merch is available to purchase right now in Urban Outfitters. So I guess that means that I’m halfway there. So thank you very much, Variety.”

‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’ is often regarded as one of the most influential albums in rock history, featuring elements of noise rock and avant-garde alongside melodic songwriting and psychedelic rock, with lyrics taking in topics including prostitution, BDSM and drug abuse.

Elsewhere, Charli has been sharing in a mutual love-in with actor Gillian Anderson in recent days, with the two describing each other as “chic and cunty”. The connection sprung from The X Files star writing a tribute to Charli in which she described her as an “inspiration”.

Charli’s culture-dominating sixth album ‘Brat’ was released in June and has been named as the Album of the Year by NME. “‘Brat’ as cultural sensation was a sight to behold, to be sure. But ‘Brat’ as an album – the record at the core of the rollout, the music beneath the marketing – is quite simply exceptional,” NME noted.

“As a songwriter and lyricist, Charli has spent much of her career oscillating between the poles of unfuckwithable attitude and naked vulnerability. ‘Brat’ moves effortlessly along the scale, giving us bulletproof bangers that remain wrenchingly human. This album is not only peak Charli, but a new bar set for modern pop.”

‘Brat’ summer looks set for round two in 2025. Charli has been confirmed as the first headliner for next year’s Parklife and the ‘360’ artist has also curated a day at London’s LIDO Festival, where she’ll deliver a bill-topping performance.

Additionally, she will play two outdoor shows in Belfast and Dublin, perform at Coachella 2025 and top the bill at Primavera Sound in Barcelona and Porto. On top of that, she’s also announced a US arena tour for April and May.

The post Charli XCX on ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’: “This album is the apex of fine art” appeared first on NME.

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