In anticipation of the December 16 release of her sophomore album, Sucker, pop singer Charli XCX has released a new single.
The single, “London Queen,” is inspired by the Ramones, according to Charli. The pop punk song was produced by Justin Raisen, who has also worked with other talents such as Theophilus London and Sky Ferreira.
Her second studio album, Sucker, was set to release October 21, but has since been pushed back to December 16, much to fans’ disappointment. With the increasing popularity she’s gained with “Fancy” and “Boom Clap,” the album is one of the most anticipated of 2014. Her recent success was a result of the years of work she’s put forth since the start of her music career in 2008. Despite the long road to achieving popularity, Charli XCX’s music hasn’t suffered. Every song she’s released from her upcoming album is fierce, relentless and guaranteed to be stuck in your head for at least a few days.
Even though she didn’t write “London Queen,” the song sounds as if it was written exclusively for her. It kicks off with an energy-filled beat, instantly drawing attention. “London Queen” allows for her to debut a more raw sound than her previous singles, which shows her versatility even in a single album. Charli’s lyrics revolve around living in the United States, as opposed to the UK. While this description may give the indication that this is a more somber song, it’s the complete opposite. She approaches the song with ambition and excitement over her new lifestyle, singing “I never thought I’d be living in the USA/Doing things the American way/I never thought I’d be living in the USA/Living the dream like a London Queen.” This single is fun (just like her other singles) and makes listeners even more anxious for the upcoming album.
Also, while the songstress is bringing back punk rock, she is currently on the North American leg of her tour. The tour will continue until her final show in San Francisco, California on October 25. You can find tickets and upcoming shows of Charli XCX here.
3/5