Last year, Charli XCX revealed new track ‘Vroom Vroom’ as she filled in for Julie Adenuga on Beats 1. It’s a collaboration with PC Music producer SOPHIE that both backs up all Charli’s chat about being inspired by Paris Hilton and takes the electronic pop collective’s sound into the mainstream.
That track also appears to be at the forefront of a lot of other things happening for British pop’s most exciting, alternative artist right now. Today, she’s announced the launch of Vroom Vroom Recordings, her own label on which she’ll release her favourite tracks by her favourite new artists. In a statement, she described it as an “experimental pop label” that will “combine my love for bubblegum pop with mystery and darkness”.
Her first two signings are RIVRS – a melancholy electro-pop duo from London – and soulful solo singer CuckooLander. The former’s ‘Friend/Lover’ bubbles with garage-y beats while Charlotte Mallory sings sadly about being in the friend zone. CuckooLander, meanwhile, worked with former Vampire Weekend member Rostam Batmanglij on the skeletal, but beguiling retro-tinged pop of ‘Beating Myself Up’.
Here’s what Charli herself has to say about her first two signings: “RIVRS and CuckooLander are two artists who have so much intelligence, pop sensibility and potential – they know what they want and both have great vision. That inspires me and it’s why I want to work with them. I’ve always been fascinated by shy and introvert people – it’s something that I am mostly not – and I feel both acts are in ways. It captivates me and sucks me in, and I think their music will do the same for others.”
She’s also announced her own new EP today, the ‘Vroom Vroom’ EP, available from Friday (February 26) and features another PC Music collaboration in the Hannah Diamond-featuring ‘Paradise’. Charli’s also been given her own regular Beats 1 show, airing every fortnight from February 26 at 8pm. We’d suggest keeping your ears peeled whenever she’s on air, just in case she unveils any more new tracks, like those that are set to feature on her third album, due for release later this year.