25 years ago today we were blessed with the ultimate bad ass pop princess, Charli XCX, and with her arrival on planet earth we’ve got countless pop bangers, some incredible music videos and a new appreciation for “pussy power”.
Now the songstress has turned 25 she’s got big plans for her birthday:
i feel like your 25th birthday is the absolute perfect day to begin designing your cute ass dream coffin. brb i got ideas. ???⚰️
— Charli (@charli_xcx) August 2, 2017
But while Charli does her design work, you can celebrate her quarter century with this countdown of 25 times Charli XCX was an absolute boss.
1When she flipped the male gaze on its head in her epic ‘Boys’ video
The video features tons of blokes taking on the role of video vixen. Speaking to BBC Radio 1 she explained her decision behind the video, saying: “They’re doing all the sexy things that girls usually do in music videos…I just wanted to flip the male gaze on its head.”
2When she tried to release ‘Pussy Power’ tampons
After fans kept chucking boxes of sanitary products at her when she was performing she decided to take matters into her own hands – with her own brand of ‘Pussy Power’ tampons. “I really wanted to make tampon merch,” she told MTV “That was a dream of mine for a really long time — to have tampons that say ’Sucker’ on the side and ’Pussy Power’ on the box.” Unfortunately her plans were ruined when the production was stopped because of health risks.
3When she broke into her own dressing room
Speaking to Buzzfeed Charli explained: “I was at the American Music Awards a couple of years ago and we got locked out of our trailer, our dressing room. Nobody would open the door so we had to crawl through the roof. It was me, my stylist, and my manager crawling through a small hole which was pretty weird.”
4When she put on this epic show at Glastonbury
Proving confetti isn’t just for the finale, only minutes into her set on the Other Stage Charli had pink silly string rain down.
5When she recognised the 90s were amazing
Charli has channeled the ’90s in several of her videos, like her wicked ‘Clueless’ parody for ‘Fancy’. Speaking to ETonline about her ‘Break the Rules’ video she explained: “The video is kind of like a cross between my favorite movies and also my favorite photographs, from David LaChapelle’s photograph of Marilyn Manson, to the movie The Craft, to Jawbreaker – I just wanted it to be very like, ’90s movie classic.”
6When she wasn’t afraid to take a musical risk
Not content with sticking within the confines of traditional pop music – Charli teamed up with Sophie for the wonderfully bizarre ‘Vroom Vroom’.
7When she released her ode to female masturbation
“I’m into myself, don’t need you, cause I’m gone” she croons in ‘Body Of My Own’. Explaining why she released the song to The Times she said: “Body of My Own is about masturbation, but it’s a feminist statement more than a song telling you to put your hand in your pants, because girls should own their own bodies.”
8When she had her priorities sorted
“I don’t care if I sell one copy or millions. I just want to be written about in 50 years time as someone who helped make pop cooler than it is now.” Charli told The Daily Star back in 2014.
9When her Halloween party was shut down at 10:30pm
Charli explained to Buzzfeed how she held a massive party with some of her biggest fans for Halloween: ” All my fans were just having the best time in my dressing room, stealing my rider, it was great. It was really, really fun, I don’t remember any of it but my friend filmed it. My fans are really cool and chill…It started at 7pm but by 8pm everyone was trashed, it was crazy. My friend had to shut the party down at 10.30pm because it got really out of control, it was hilarious; really an amazing night.”
10When she reminded us there’s more than one definition of sexy
Speaking to The Evening Standard about her album Sucker she said: “I feel sexy singing these songs and I hope that inspires other girls and other women, because you can totally be confident and feel amazing in your own skin without having to try to conform to what Heat magazine, or FHM or any guy says is sexy. I think what women think is sexy is what is sexy. Girls eating pizza are massively sexy.”
11When she fangirled like the rest of us over a hero
In 2012 actual Spice Girl Geri Halliwell interviewed Charli for V magazine. She spoke about the experience to Elle, saying: “I went to her house, which was amazing. I felt so weird. I was freaking out. I was like, “I’m in Ginger Spice’s house, this is insane.” She was great. She did her research; she knew everything about me. I was freaking out when I was sitting on her sofa. Like, “Oh my God, I’m so close to my hero.”
12When she revealed to Ginger Spice her family used to go to illegal raves together
When Charli was explaining how, aged 14, she used to play illegal raves in Hackney, Geri Halliwell asked if her parents knew: “They came! The rebellion phase turned into a family thing!”
13And when her mum was just as badass as her
And when her mum was just as badass as her Speaking to the Telegraph about one of her early rave shows Charli told them: “My mum helped someone out of a K-hole, and we didn’t leave until 7am.”
14When she explained why it isn’t actually embarrassing to say you like pop music
In that V interview with Ginger Spice, when asked why she’d like to change the current state of pop music Charli explained: “Some people are embarrassed to say that they like pop music, but I feel like times are changing. There are some really amazing pop artists, including myself, that are pretty young and aren’t just thinking about lyrics like “I’m in a club with a boy! Yeah!”
15When she didn’t have time for your bitching
Charli’s become known for championing her peers work on social media. Speaking to Pitchfork she explained: “I don’t have time to be a bitch to people, it’s so unproductive. I know there are so many people out there—fans and artists—who think it’s cool to be a cunt, but you’re so fucking dumb if you think that’s cool. I like befriending my collaborators because I’d rather make music with people I like than people I pretend to like.”
16When she revealed why she loves the NME Awards
Speaking to Buzzfeed Charli said: “The NME Awards are like a rock music magazine in the UK. They serve pizza at 2am and everybody gets truly fucked up which is really fun; big party vibes.”
17When she considered leaking her album if she got bored
According to Zane Lowe – when he interviewed Charli ahead of the release of her new album for Beats 1 she said “I’m sure I’ll just get bored and leak the whole thing before then anyway.”
18When she was honest about who she fancied
“I have this Bill Murray fetish thing going on… my dream crush, whatever” Charli told Buzzfeed.
19When she was a zombie Maria Sharapova
“It’s a zombie fuckfest: slutty zombies having a sexy party on a tennis court. Like zombie Wimbledon and I am Maria Sharapova.” she told Noisey on the set of her ‘After the Afterparty’ video.
20When she sang karaoke with Sky Ferreira
“We sang everything. The best one we did together was “Nothing Compares 2 U.” We had everyone crying. She takes it quite seriously.” Charli told Elle magazine.
21When she didn’t care about aesthetics
“I want to fuck up the music industry, not make it a prettier place.” she told the Daily Star.
22When she reminded her fans what’s really important
When asked what she thought of people who only cared about looks in a Twitter Q&A, Charli responded: “beauty fades. its what inside that counts and its what you say that will be remembered :)”
23When she was all about female bonding
“I think that female bonding in the industry is way more powerful and inspiring than female rivalry,” Charli told Hypebae. Too right.
24When she knew what was important in life
When asked in a Twitter Q&A whether she’d pick boys or champagne – she responded “……………..champagne.”
25And when she knew every party could be improved with Britney
When the Rolling Stone asked Charli what her ideal party would be she responded: “Lots of champagne and a really great driver, who isn’t drinking. Just want to add that in. … A Britney Spears and Sophie playlist. Maybe she could do a PA with him DJing.”