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A new album from Charli XCX, inspired by Emerald Fennell’s upcoming film adaptation of Wuthering Heights, is slated for release on February 13, 2026, with the artist recently unveiling a visually striking music video for her latest single, “Chains of Love.” The project marks a departure for the artist following her acclaimed 2024 album, Brat.
A Sonic Landscape of “Elegant and Brutal”
The music video for “Chains of Love,” directed by C Prinz, showcases Charli XCX performing in a desolate, grand dining hall. The clip features an unseen force manipulating the environment around her, throwing silverware and candlesticks while levitating the table. The video culminates in a powerful moment of catharsis as Charli destroys the table, shattering it into pieces.
Charli released “Chains of Love” last week, following closely on the heels of her collaboration with John Cale, “House.” Both tracks will be included on the Wuthering Heights companion album, a project crafted alongside songwriters and producers Finn Keane and Justin Raisen. The film itself, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, is set to premiere on February 14, 2026.
The artist revealed that her approach to the album was deeply influenced by a quote from John Cale, as featured in Todd Haynes’ 2021 documentary The Velvet Underground. “One thing that stuck with me was how John Cale described a key sonic requirement of the Velvet Underground,” she shared in a note to fans. “That any song had to be both ‘elegant and brutal.’ I got really stuck on that phrase. I write it down on my notes app and would pull it up from time to time and think about what he meant.”
A New Creative Direction
While not a traditional solo album, Wuthering Heights represents Charli XCX’s first major project since the success of Brat. She explained her eagerness to explore new artistic territory, stating, “After being so in the depths of my previous album I was excited to escape into something entirely new, entirely opposite.”
Inspired by Fennell’s script, Charli found herself captivated by the themes of the classic novel. “When I think of Wuthering Heights I think of many things,” she said. “I think of passion and pain. I think of England. I think of the Moors, I think of the mud and the cold. I think of determination and grit.” This project signals a bold new chapter for the artist, promising a soundscape as evocative and complex as the source material itself.
