Song Spotlight: Charli xcx - Apple

As brat summer begins to draw to a close, we’re taking a look at standout viral hit ‘Apple’. So put on your dancing shoes and get ready as we delve into this bumpin’ bop!

Image by Stuart Sevastos via Wikimedia Commons

One of this year’s summer-defining albums, British singer Charli xcx’s sixth studio album, BRAT, has been a viral phenomenon, generating multitudes of lime green edits and memes, and trending TikTok sounds. Particularly having success on TikTok, ‘Apple’ has emerged as a massive hit from the album, largely due to its dance craze, but shockingly this track almost didn’t make the final cut for the tracklist!

Image by Justin Higuchi via Flickr

Initially titled ‘The Apple’, Charli first teased fans with the song back on 8th September 2023 after posting a photo of her notebook, revealing some of its lyrics. Whilst anticipation over BRAT grew, Charli later confirmed the song’s inclusion on the album through a voice memo sent to select fans on 2nd of April 2024, finally releasing the track with the rest of the album on 7th June 2024.

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Exploring her relationship with her parents, Charli uses apples throughout the song as a metaphor for inherited traits and intergenerational trauma. Combining introspective lyrics with a melodic, catchy electronic beat (and some on brand lyrics about driving and cars), this song is both highly relatable, and irresistible to vibe along to - so we’re not surprised to see it blow up online!

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What really drove the song’s popularity into full-throttle was New York-based actor and content creator Kelley Heyer’s dance to the track. Believing it to be an underappreciated song from the album, Heyer uploaded her dance to TikTok shortly after the album’s release, with moves consisting of: body rolls, hands on hips, holding an imaginary apple above their head, and pretending to drive a car. Other users began to replicate the dance, with Charli herself uploading her own performance of the dance alongside Troye Sivan and Terrence O’Connor on 28th June.

Image by Tom Bellamy Creative via Wikimedia Commons

Going on to be released as the album’s third single in August, ‘Apple’ continues to spawn new TikToks and climb the charts. We’ve all had a bite, and can’t get enough of this infectious song!

Image by Atlantic Records (UK) via Wikimedia Commons

Thumbnail Image by https://www.flickr.com/photos/tramlinesofficial/ via Wikimedia Commons

Featured Image by Ronald Woan via Flickr