Charli XCX on her new album, playing Glastonbury and being addicted to social media

Charli XCX tells ITV News she thinks she's addicted to social media

Charli XCX is now in a good place.

The British singer has a new album called Crash, she is setting off on an international tour and she is playing Glastonbury.

All this after a period in which she struggled with her mental health, questioned whether she should retreat from an industry she’s been part of since her teens, and tried and failed to wean herself off social media.

The Grammy nominated star says exhaustion and the pressures from her private life and work left her vulnerable to critical comments online when she was struggling.

Criticism of a new song and of a decision to play at an exclusive festival from which she has since withdrawn, left her “being sucked into the online vortex” she says.

An attempt to quit social media to protect herself, ultimately failed – "I’m probably addicted", she admits – and left her wondering if she should leave music even, and retreat from being a public voice. 

It is her music that makes her feel safe, recording her new album and the prospect of touring it helping her recover when she has moments of doubt she says.

Charli XCX talks about the making of her album How I'm Feeling Now, which she made in five weeks from her house during the Covid pandemic.

The prospect of Glastonbury and heading out imminently to play in America has given her a focus, but she is glad to speak out about her industry and the issues female performers still face today, and her mental health which she says is better now. 

And to her young fans who are as addicted to social media as her, she says if someone is horrible to you, try to move on as it will be forgotten the next day.

She knows that is easier said than done, and that is an issue that many, many people will understand.  

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