Charli XCX’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ sparks buzz as she builds the entire film album on her own terms

Highlights:

• Charli XCX sets the tone for a darker, sharper chapter with Wuthering Heights
• New single Chains of Love lands alongside the first trailer for the film
• Album arrives 13 February with Charli writing most of it with Finn Keane
• Project began as one song for Emerald Fennell’s film but grew into a full record

Charli XCX Wuthering Heights drops her straight into a new lane that is moodier, louder in emotion, and stitched to a film that’s already carrying weight. The singer’s new album, which ties into Emerald Fennell’s adaptation, is clearly a sharp pivot from the neon chaos of Brat. You hear that in Chains of Love, the new single, and in the way she talks about this chapter in her notes on the Charli XCX new album plans.

Charli XCX shares a first look at her Wuthering Heights album era Getty Images

Why Charli XCX Wuthering Heights became a full album

The whole thing began with a simple brief. Fennell asked Charli for one song for the film. Charli pushed back with a bigger idea: why not make an album? She said she wanted to dive into a persona that felt raw and British and a bit stormy.

Most of the record is written and produced with Finn Keane, better known as Easyfun, who’s been behind some of her sharpest electronic tracks. The full tracklist isn’t out yet, but the pieces we’ve heard point to something more theatrical.

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How the new sound sits with fans

Fans picked up on the shift straight away. When she dropped Chains of Love, feeds filled up with people calling it her harshest vocal take in years. The trailer for Wuthering Heights uses the song in a blown-out orchestral version, weaving around scenes with Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.

Charli XCX shifts into a darker sound for her new Wuthering Heights albumGetty Images

What the film tie-in means for Charli’s next era

Attaching a whole album to a major Valentine’s Day release is a serious move. The film hits cinemas on 14 February, with Charli’s album dropping the day before. That timing alone pushes Wuthering Heights into a wider spotlight than usual soundtrack work.

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Charli’s last era ended with a Grammy nomination for Brat and two follow-ons including a deluxe edition and a remix set. This new record already feels like a reset. House, the earlier single featuring John Cale, showed the first crack in the door. Chains of Love kicks it open. The rest arrives in February, and if the early notes are anything to go by, she’s not holding back this time.