CHARLI XCX BIOGRAPHY - AGE, CAREER, SONGS & FACTS

Charli xcx is the British pop provocateur who went from posting MySpace demos and playing illegal London raves as a teenager to commanding a Grammy-winning cultural moment with Brat. In September 2026, she made history once more by becoming Madonna's first official collaborator.

Image: Sara Komatsu (Wikimedia Commons), CC BY-SA 4.0 — Toronto International Film Festival, September 2025

Early Life

Charlotte Emma Aitchison was born on August 2, 1992, in Cambridge, England, and raised in Start Hill, Essex. Her mother is of Indian Gujarati-Ugandan heritage and her father is Scottish. She began writing songs at 14, posting her demos on MySpace, and spent her teenage years performing at underground London warehouse raves. In 2010, she signed a record deal with Asylum Records.

Career

Her debut studio album, True Romance (2013), introduced her moody electropop sound, but her breakout came as a songwriter: she co-wrote Icona Pop's "I Love It" (2012) and Iggy Azalea's "Fancy" (2014), a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1, while her own "Boom Clap" became a global hit. Across six studio albums - True Romance (2013), Sucker (2014), Charli (2019), How I'm Feeling Now (2020), Crash (2022) - she built a fiercely loyal following with forward-thinking pop and cult-loved mixtapes like Pop 2. Then came Brat (2024): the lime-green album sparked the "brat summer" cultural phenomenon and won three Grammys, including Best Dance/Electronic Album and Best Dance/Electronic Recording for "Von Dutch." Offstage, she married George Daniel, drummer of The 1975, in July 2025; her "Guess" remix with Billie Eilish won the 2025 VMA for Video for Good; and she scored the 2026 film Wuthering Heights.

Recent News

In September 2026, Charli xcx joined Madonna for her first official Madonna collaboration: "Danceteria Afterhours," a remix of Madonna's "Danceteria" from Confessions II. Announced on September 19 and released on September 24, 2026 via Warner Records, the track finds Charli adding an autobiographical new verse about her club roots - a fitting celebration of two artists who both began in club culture. Days later, the pair performed the song live together at the 2026 VMAs on September 27, 2026, where Charli had also earned four nominations of her own, including Best Pop for "SS26" and Best Art Direction.

Read our full coverage: MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS 2026 WINNERS - FULL WINNERS LIST & SHOW HIGHLIGHTS.

Madonna fans, don't miss: BRING YOUR LOVE LYRICS - MADONNA & SABRINA CARPENTER | CONFESSIONS II.

FAQ

How old is Charli xcx?

She was born on August 2, 1992, which makes her 34 years old as of 2026.

What is Charli xcx's real name?

Her real name is Charlotte Emma Aitchison.

What is Danceteria Afterhours?

"Danceteria Afterhours" is Charli xcx's September 2026 collaboration with Madonna - a remix of Madonna's "Danceteria" from Confessions II and the first official collaboration between the two artists. They performed it live together at the 2026 VMAs.

How many Grammys has Charli xcx won?

She has won three Grammys, all for the Brat era: Best Dance/Electronic Album, Best Recording Package, and Best Dance/Electronic Recording for "Von Dutch."