Charli XCX joins London's National Portrait Gallery collection

Charli XCX is the latest addition to the National Portrait Gallery in London.

One of the defining images of the Brat album era is a 2024 portrait by British fashion photographer Harley Weir, CE Report quotes ANA-MPA.

It has been acquired by the National Portrait Gallery, which described Charli XCX as "one of the defining artists of our time."

Charlotte Emma Aitchison (born August 2, 1992, in Cambridge, England), professionally known as Charli XCX, is a British singer and songwriter. She made her musical debut in 2008 with the album 14, although it was never officially released. Her first commercial album, True Romance, was released in 2013, reached No. 85 on the UK Albums Chart, and received critical acclaim. Aitchison is also widely known as the co-writer of the hit song "I Love It", performed by Swedish duo Icona Pop.

Biography

Originally from Hertfordshire, Charli XCX grew up as a fan of the Spice Girls and took part in amateur music groups. She has recalled that she dreamed of being Baby Spice but was always chosen to play Scary Spice because of her dark hair.

As a teenager, she uploaded her songs to Myspace and performed at London rave parties. In 2008, she released the singles "!Franchesckaar!" and "Emelline"/"Art Bitch" through Orgy Music. By then, her debut album 14 had already been completed, but it was never officially released; promotional copies were distributed only at her live performances.

Three years later, Charli XCX returned with new material, releasing the singles "Stay Away" and "Nuclear Seasons". In 2011, she also released several mixtapes and appeared on tracks including "End of the World" by Alex Metric and "Lost in Space" by Starkey.

In 2012, she released two original mixtapes, Heartbreaks and Earthquakes and Super Ultra. That same year, she gave her self-written song "I Love It" to Swedish duo Icona Pop, where it became a major international hit. Alongside her own tours, Charli opened for Coldplay and Santigold, and toured the United States with her friend Marina Diamandis. The pair later recorded the song "Just Desserts" together.

In early 2013, Charli released the single "You (Ha Ha Ha)", which sampled music by Gold Panda, along with its accompanying music video. Her debut studio album, True Romance, followed on April 15, 2013.

In 2015, she collaborated with electronic music pioneer Giorgio Moroder on the song "Diamonds", featured on his album Déjà Vu. She also wrote "Gravity" for Blondie's album Pollinator.

After releasing the single "After the Afterparty" in October 2016, Charli announced she was working on a new album. On March 10, 2017, she released the mixtape Number 1 Angel, featuring guest appearances from MØ, Raye, Starrah, Uffie, Abra, and Cupcakke, with much of the production handled by A. G. Cook. A week later, she appeared on Mura Masa's single "1 Night".

At the end of 2018, Charli and Troye Sivan released the single "1999", celebrating late-1990s pop culture. The music video featured numerous references to iconic figures and moments from the era, including Steve Jobs, the Spice Girls, TLC, Britney Spears, Eminem, the Backstreet Boys, Justin Timberlake, Titanic, and The Sims. Charli was seven years old in 1999, while Troye was four.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Charli recorded the single "Claws" while in self-isolation. It was released on April 23, 2020, followed by her fourth studio album, How I'm Feeling Now, on May 15, 2020.

In 2024, Charli XCX became the first British female artist to top the UK Singles Chart that year. She received seven nominations at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year.

At the 2025 BRIT Awards, she was named Songwriter of the Year, marking her first major music award in the United Kingdom after 12 years of her career.

At the 67th Grammy Awards, held on February 2, 2025, Charli XCX won three Grammy Awards: Best Dance Pop Recording for "Von Dutch", Best Dance/Electronic Album for Brat, and Best Recording Package for the album Brat.

Photo: Instagram/charli_xcx