Charli XCX electrifies Reading Festival with era-spanning set

Distorted, black-and-white videos of Charli kicked off the performance and the tens of thousands who had gathered at the main stage erupted as the chords were struck up to her new album’s lead single, Rock Music.

After delivering punchy renditions of new tracks Wink Wink, Yeah and Card Declined, she stepped out to change from a black sparkly blazer into a black corseted dress.

The second act of the performance showcased the breadth of work, as she moved from pop hit Track 10 from her 2017 mixtape, to the melancholic tones of House, which she co-wrote for the recent Wuthering Heights soundtrack album.

Those still craving her infectious dance tracks welcomed the singer later breaking out songs like Club Classics, 365 and the Grammy-winning Von Dutch from her sixth album Brat, which became a cultural phenomenon and propelled her to new heights in 2024.

After returning to the more punk style of Music, Fashion, Film, she closed with its last track, No One Lasts Forever.

The song concludes with filmmaker David Cronenberg saying “no one lasts forever / they are dead, they are gone” and “oblivion is freedom” – and Charli let that be the last words which rang out as she stared out across the crowd, surrounded by her dancers.