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Charli XCX wins songwriter of the year at 2025 Ivor Novello Awards as jury praises her bold storytelling

How a self-proclaimed "brat" became British music's most respected songwriter.

Charli XCX Honored as Songwriter of the Year at 2025 Ivor Novello Awards

Charli XCX strikes a pose backstage after her big Ivor Novello win

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Pooja Pillai
By Pooja PillaiMay 23, 2025
Pooja Pillai
Pooja was born in Kochi and raised on a mix of newspapers, pop culture, and too many questions. She studied Communicative English and Journalism before earning her Master’s in Journalism from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, and began her career interning at The Times of India and Channel I'M — where she later became a news anchor, scripting and presenting her own stories. Between deadlines, she’s worked across digital media platforms, covering politics, gender, pop culture, cinema, and everything in between. She has interviewed actors, creators, and changemakers, and occasionally edits her own video content — thanks to being certified in Photoshop and InDesign. In 2025, she joined the Asian Media Group in her first “official” newsroom gig, where she now covers entertainment, lifestyle, and the layered realities of South Asian identity. She believes storytelling should feel personal — even when it’s public — and likes to write not to please, but to provoke, question, and occasionally stir the pot.
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Charli XCX, known for her music and rebellious spirit, has just been named Songwriter of the Year at the 2025 Ivor Novello Awards. Held at London’s Grosvenor House, the ceremony recognised the people behind the music, including those who write the lyrics, shape the melodies, and craft the tunes that stick with us. And this year, it was Charli’s moment.

In a cheeky acceptance speech, she quoted lyrics from her own song Club Classics: “I wanna dance to me, me, me…” and followed it up by saying, “I’m hardly Bob Dylan.” But behind the humour was a clear truth: she’s worked hard to create something uniquely her own. Her 2024 album Brat captured both chaos and honesty, mixing club-ready beats with raw questions about fame, identity, and relationships. It was not just a hit on the charts; it sparked a wider cultural moment. Even the word “brat” made it into the Collins Dictionary’s Word of the Year.

Charli XCX Honored as Songwriter of the Year at 2025 Ivor Novello AwardsCharli XCX posing after winning Songwriter of the Year at the 2025 IvorsGetty Images


The Ivors, now in their 70th year, celebrate excellence in songwriting, voted for by fellow songwriters. That makes this recognition feel especially real. Brat may not have won Best Album, that went to Berwyn for Who Am I, but Charli’s influence on pop this past year is undeniable. Her music has been everywhere, with her songs reportedly played over 50 times a day across UK airwaves.

The awards also spotlighted new and rising talent. Lola Young won the Rising Star Award, thanks to the success of her gritty hit Messy, while Myles Smith’s Stargazing took home the award for the most-played song of the year. Orla Gartland’s intimate ballad Mine was named Best Song Musically and Lyrically, and Sans Soucis won Best Contemporary Song for Circumnavigating Georgia.

- YouTubeyoutu.be


Elsewhere, U2 were honoured with a lifetime fellowship, Brandon Flowers of The Killers won the special international award, and Robbie Williams was celebrated as a music icon.

As Charli XCX said herself, a good song isn’t just about melody; it’s about having a point of view. And with Brat, she’s made hers loud and clear.

bold storytellingclub classicshonestyivor novello awardslola youngpopsongwriter of the yearstargazingcharli xcx

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