Highlights
- The National Portrait Gallery has acquired Harley Weir's portrait of Charli xcx from her Brat era.
- The gallery described the singer as "one of the defining cultural figures of her generation".
- The portrait goes on display as Charli xcx's latest album Music, Fashion, Film tops the UK midweek chart.
A photograph that came to define Charli xcx's Brat era has been added to the National Portrait Gallery's permanent collection, marking another milestone in the singer's cultural influence.
Taken by acclaimed photographer Harley Weir in 2023, the portrait became closely associated with Brat, the 2024 album that evolved into a wider pop culture phenomenon. Its acquisition coincides with the release of Charli xcx's latest album, Music, Fashion, Film, which is currently leading the UK midweek charts.
Brat portrait joins National Portrait Gallery collection
The National Portrait Gallery announced that Weir's photograph has been added to its collection and is now on display in its History Makers Now space.
Brandei Estes, the gallery's senior curator of photographs, said the institution was "delighted" to acquire the portrait, describing Charli xcx as "one of the defining cultural figures of her generation".
Estes also praised Weir's work, saying the photographer had developed "a distinctive photographic language that combines intimacy with a powerful sense of presence".
The acquisition was made possible through funding from the Bukhman Foundation.
The announcement comes days after Charli xcx released Music, Fashion, FilmX/ infocharlixcx
Music, Fashion, Film continues strong chart run
The announcement comes days after Charli xcx released Music, Fashion, Film, which has received both critical acclaim and strong commercial support since arriving on Friday.
The album is on course to become her fourth UK number one and her second chart-topper of the year, following the success of the Wuthering Heights soundtrack earlier in 2026. It currently leads the UK midweek chart ahead of releases from Snow Patrol, Shania Twain and The Strokes.
Over the weekend, the singer also released three additional tracks from the album's sessions: I Keep on Thinking Bout You Every Single Day and Night, Playboy Bunny and If You Take Away the Music Then What Has She Got?
Explaining the decision on Instagram, Charli xcx said she had initially intended to keep the songs off streaming platforms but made them available on iTunes following requests from fans.
Film career continues to grow
The album track Camera reflects Charli xcx's recent move into acting, following appearances in Erupcja, 100 Nights of Hero, Sacrifice and the mockumentary The Moment.
Her upcoming projects include Gregg Araki's I Want Your Sex, comedy thriller The Gallerest, a remake of Faces of Death, and an untitled feature directed by Takashi Miike, which she is also producing.
The singer is also preparing to headline the Reading and Leeds Festival before embarking on a North American tour later this year.
