Charli XCX explores her regrets over SOPHIE’s death on upcoming album

For her upcoming and as-yet-untitled sixth album, Charli XCX is getting reflective. Among the songs that define what she describes as her “most aggressive and confrontational record,” one dives into her complex relationship with SOPHIE—now three years removed from the legendary trans musician’s tragic death.

SOPHIE produced Charli XCX’s 2016 EP Vroom Vroom. In the heat of that collaboration, she felt daunted by SOPHIE, leading her to focus the friendship on the music.

“There was a lot of distance between us because I was in awe of her and wanted to impress her,” Charli XCX told The Face in a new profile. “She believed in me in ways that I didn’t believe [in] myself. But I felt like I would never be interesting enough to operate in her world outside of the studio, which was the safe space where we could connect and bond over music.”

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In 2021, SOPHIE died of a tragic accident when she fell off from a roof she had climbed in order to photograph the moon. Now three years later, Charli XCX is ready to grapple with the lost opportunity.

“I didn’t feel like I was magical enough for this unbelievably magic person,” she said. “And that makes me ashamed now I don’t have the opportunity to experience that anymore, because she’s gone. I feel ashamed for being a coward. It’s hard to write about. I’m sad for myself that I didn’t experience all this person had to offer.”

Charli XCX dedicated her last album, 2022’s Crash, to SOPHIE. “She changed my life and she changed all of our lives,” said in an interview with Apple Music Radio at the time. “I’ve never met anyone like her and I don’t think I ever will.”

She went on to describe how SOPHIE challenged her musical style. “SOPHIE was always pushing me to not record with autotune, which I think people would find quite interesting,” she said. “She was always like, ‘Just sing with your voice. You sound great. Let’s do this like that.’ SOPHIE was just a champion of people that she believed in.

“And no matter what level you were as an artist, if you were a big artist or if you were her friend who was making music with her in her studio and no one else had heard any of the songs at all. She believed in those people.

“She thinks people are stars. And when she thinks you’re a star, she’s not going to let you do yourself an injustice by not going for it.”