Is Charli XCX's 'Girl, So Confusing' about Lorde? 'Royals' hitmaker praises 'Brat' album amid speculations

Singer Lorde recently praised Charli XCX's latest album, Brat, amidst speculation that one of the songs from the album is focused on her. Lorde took to her Instagram story to celebrate the "only album (she) ever presaved," and wrote:

"Charli just cooked this one different... So much grit, grace and skin in the game. I speak for all of us when I say it’s an honour to be moved, changed and gagged by her work. Brava and welcome Brat."

Lorde's story praising Brat (Image via Instagram/ @lorde)

Brat features a track, Girl, so confusing, which details her complicated and competitive dynamic with another woman. In the song, she talks about feeling envious of the singer but also finding things to admire about her.

Since then, people have speculated on who Charli is alluding to, including Lorde and Taylor Swift. During her interview with Rolling Stone UK for its June/July 2024 issue, Charli XCX confessed to feeling "super jealous" of Lorde's success when Royals came out. This escalated rumors that Girl, so confusing, is about Lorde. However, Charli has not confirmed this.

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"I haven’t quite decided whether I’m revealing"— Charli XCX about Girl, so confusing

Girl, so confusing, also talks about how people think Charli XCX and the unnamed person look alike and have the same hair. Interestingly, Lorde and Charli were mistaken for each other previously, which added to the speculations.

During her June 5 appearance on the Las Culturistas podcast, the host asked the singer who the track was referencing. She replied:

"I haven’t quite decided whether I’m revealing. When I wrote it, I was like, ‘I’m revealing!’ But now, you know, the time is here; I’m like, ‘Mmmmm. Do you think I should reveal?"

She explained the meaning behind the song, saying that it explores the dynamics of competitiveness and camaraderie between women. She added that women don't always see eye-to-eye with other women.

Talking about being envious of Lorde's success post-Royals, Charli XCX told Rolling Stones UK that she was piecing together things like having big hair and wearing black lipstick.

"You create these parallels and think, ‘Well, that could have been me.’ But it couldn’t have because we’re completely different people," she said.

She pointed out that they didn't even make similar music. The Apple songstress explained that she read what she wanted to because she was "insecure" about her work.

Brat is Charli XCX's sixth studio album. It was preceded by the release of two singles, 360 and Von Dutch. Many have speculated that the latter of the two is a diss track, which the singer "kind of" confirmed. She took to her TikTok last week to state:

"I'm seeing online that some people think there are diss tracks on Brat. I just want to come on here and clarify that there aren't, apart from Von Dutch, which kind of is."

Brat was released on June 6, 2024, and is available to stream on Spotify.

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