Charli XCX has shared the second preview of her upcoming fourth studio album with a new single, “claws“. The track is cut off ‘how i’m feeling now‘, XCX’s next project which is due for release on May 15 via Asylum Records. The singer also talks with the BBC about the process and origin of the album.
“It’s quite exposing, definitely – but the second I started doing it, I didn’t find it scary any more,” the 27-year-old singer speaks of the making of ‘how i’m feeling now‘.
When asked if she is not making this record at the moment, the “1999” hitmaker admits that, “I’d be really, really struggling. Binge-watching TV and being actually quite sad.” However, now that she is currently racking her brain out to craft such a wild project, the PC music queen is grateful to have her fans around in the process.
“Some of my ideas, even the ones I’m posting, are things that maybe won’t come into full realisation. But I think, for my fans, it’s really nice for them to see the process. I mean, I’d be interested to hear demos from some of my favourite artists, to feel their ideas as they’re forming. I find it exciting.”
Also, XCX explains that setting the deadline for the album release does not worry her at all: “I wanted to do the album in an intense period of time, because I thought it would be more fun for people watching, and also because there’s more likely to be some kind of screw-up or error in a short amount of time, which is probably more interesting.”
“claws” is a follow-up to the lead single, “forever“. Since the very first second of the track, it is obvious that the singer has collaborated with no other than Dylan Brady, a member of emerging electronic duo 100 gecs. BJ Burton, who contributes to the lead, also co-produces “claws” as well.
Singing, “I’m not shy, make you sigh / Slip and slide up my thighs / Juicy just like clementines / Sorry if I make you cry,” XCX expresses a love interest in her significant other. She also repeats, “I like-I like-I like-I like-I like everything about you,” a verse that will definitely stick to your consciousness for so long.
XCX once again shares three different versions of the “claws” artwork, as she already did with the release of “forever“. Timothy Luke is named one of the creators of the covers; Luke is XCX’s frequent collaborator who created artworks for her singles like “Boys” and “After the Afterparty“.
It is less than a month now until ‘how i’m feeling now‘ arrives. While waiting a little bit more, we can all enjoy watching Charli XCX making the album and discussing the process and whatnot with various celebrities and fans on her Youtube channel. The latest episode saw the “Vroom Vroom” creator chat with Paris Hilton, Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and RuPaul’s Drag Race alumni Gia Gunn. See the clip below.
