Charli XCX chooses real-life connections over online noise amid mental health battle
The pop star says taking a break from social media has helped her feel better mentally
Charli XCX is taking a step back from social media as she focuses on her mental health and personal well-being.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, the 33-year-old singer revealed that she has been spending less time online and has chosen to distance herself from platforms including Instagram and Facebook.
“I have actually been a lot more offline. I don’t really look as much anymore. It’s just better for my brain,” Charli shared.
The pop star admitted the decision may surprise fans because she has previously been known as an artist who was highly active online.
“I know people probably won’t believe me, because I am inherently, at least in the past, a very online artist,” she said.
Charli explained that she has recently been dealing with a difficult period emotionally, saying her mental health struggles reached a point where online discussions became too overwhelming.
“The discourse is loud, and sometimes that can be very overwhelming,” she said, adding that her anxiety began affecting her physically.
The singer has recently been making headlines with her new musical direction following the success of her 2024 album Brat, which became a global phenomenon and inspired the “Brat summer” trend.
Her upcoming album Music, Fashion, Film has sparked conversations among fans due to its different sound, including the lead single “Rock Music,” which features distorted guitars and the bold lyric that “the dance floor is dead.”
However, Charli said she does not want to focus on outside opinions about her creative choices.
The artist also revealed that she is looking for more meaningful ways to connect with her audience rather than relying on constant online interaction.
“Things have changed now. I’m interested in making things really intimate between me and my audience, and sitting down one-on-one with a person and having a conversation,” she said.
Charli added that she never intended to recreate the sound of Brat with her next project, explaining that each of her albums represents a different creative chapter.
“I knew when I was making it that I was never going to make that record again. It’s not creatively rewarding for me to make the same thing twice,” she said.
Her new album Music, Fashion, Film is scheduled to be released on July 24, 2026.
