The concert film is back, and it’s bigger than ever. From Beyoncé’s commanding presence in “Renaissance: A film by Beyoncé” (2023) to Taylor Swift’s sprawling spectacle of “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” (2023), artists are reclaiming the narrative – and the revenue stream – surrounding their live performances. But Charli XCX, ever the contrarian, is approaching this moment differently. Her new film, “The Moment,” isn’t a straightforward concert film. it’s a satirical, self-aware deconstruction of the artist-as-brand, a genre-bending exploration of control and the anxieties of pop stardom.
“The Moment” centers around Charli XCX’s first arena tour in the UK, but it’s less a documentary and more a fictionalized, often unsettling, portrayal of her journey from underground club favorite to mainstream pop phenomenon. The film, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, isn’t simply about the tour itself, but about the forces – both internal and external – that shape an artist’s identity in the age of hyper-capitalized pop culture. It’s a move that feels distinctly Charli, a refusal to simply participate in the current concert film boom without adding a layer of critical commentary.
The film’s marketing positions it as a satire, but it often feels closer to a psychological thriller about the commodification of self. Those familiar with Charlotte Aitchison’s (Charli XCX’s real name) calculated approach to the “Brat” era – her 2023 album and the project surrounding it – will recognize that the film’s Charli is a distorted reflection of the artist herself. She’s a detached, almost robotic figure, seemingly exhausted by the demands of her career and willing to relinquish control to others. This isn’t a straightforward self-portrait, but a deliberately unsettling exploration of what happens when an artist feels alienated from their own creation.
The Illusion of Control
A pivotal scene in “The Moment” encapsulates this feeling. Charli and her manager, Tim, are in a taxi, and he presses her for a decision regarding the tour. Her response is a raw outburst: “Alla undrar bara, vad vill du, vad vill du, vad vill du, I don’t fucking know what I want!” (Everyone just wonders, what do you want, what do you want, what do you want, I don’t fucking know what I want!). But for those who’ve followed Aitchison’s career, this moment feels deliberately ironic. With “Brat,” she actively leveraged the full resources of her major label, Atlantic Records, to reinvent herself as a pop star – a strategy that demonstrably succeeded. Billboard reported on the meticulous planning and execution of the “Brat” rollout, highlighting Aitchison’s agency in shaping her own narrative.
“The Moment,” then, functions as a transition – a carefully orchestrated move towards a new phase of her artistry: a career in film. Aitchison is reportedly involved in at least eight film projects slated for release this year or next, signaling a deliberate shift in focus. This isn’t a departure from pop music, but an expansion of her creative palette, a strategic move to control her image and narrative on a different platform.
Playing with Authenticity
“The Moment” operates within the same tonal ambiguity as the “Brat” project, constantly oscillating between sincerity and detachment. Tracks like “360” and “Von Dutch” present a hyper-stylized, almost cartoonish version of celebrity, a “fake it till you make it” persona that proved remarkably effective. Conversely, songs like “I might say something stupid” and “Sympathy is a knife” reveal a vulnerability and ambivalence lurking beneath the surface. As she sings in “Door is open, let in but still outside/I look perfect for the background/I get nervous, sip the wine/’Cause I don’t know if I belong here anymore,” a lyric that also appears in a key scene in the film, the illusion of perfection often masks a deep sense of alienation. The film’s antagonist, a tour film producer played by Alexander Skarsgård, embodies this tension, attempting to mold Charli into a Taylor Swift or Beyoncé-esque archetype, even suspending her, dressed as Tinkerbell, from the arena ceiling while she sings about feeling out of place.
The film, likely touches on genuine anxieties and industry dynamics, but the image it presents is ultimately a carefully constructed facade. “The Moment” inadvertently proves its own point by being yet another meticulously calculated component of the “Brat” brand. There’s a sense of liberation in Charli XCX finally moving past this era, as the constant self-awareness begins to feel stifling.
A Calculated Performance
Attending Charli XCX’s London show at the O2 Arena, her largest solo performance to date, offered a glimpse into the spectacle the film attempts to deconstruct. As noted in a review by DN, the arena buzzed with energy as fans ascended escalators and queued for merchandise. It’s a shame, perhaps, that she didn’t opt for a more straightforward concert film, instead choosing to satirize the very brand-optimization she’s become so adept at, pretending it wasn’t precisely what she intended all along.
However, the walls along those escalators were adorned with Charli’s collaboration with Converse – a form of capitalization that the film seemingly critiques. It’s a further example of her total control over the Charli XCX narrative, meticulously crafting and selling a specific image of herself. This control, while impressive, raises questions about authenticity and the increasingly blurred lines between artist and product in the modern music industry.
Charli XCX’s “The Moment” is a complex and provocative operate, a film that challenges viewers to question the nature of performance, authenticity, and the price of fame. It’s a fitting coda to the “Brat” era, and a bold statement of intent as she embarks on a new chapter in her career.
The film is currently making the festival circuit and is expected to have a wider release later this year. Fans can follow updates on Charli XCX’s official website and social media channels for more information on upcoming screenings and projects. The next confirmed event is her appearance at Glastonbury Festival in June 2024, where she is expected to perform material from “Brat” and preview new music from her forthcoming film projects.
What are your thoughts on the evolving landscape of concert films and artist control? Share your opinions in the comments below.
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