Charli XCX says you have to "do a deal with the devil" to be mega-famous.
Charli XCX spills on the price you pay for fame
The 'Used To Know Me' singer admits that becoming a pop star means you have to sacrifice your soul and be prepared to "run people over" to achieve superstardom.
Speaking to NME for this week's Big Read, she pondered: "To be famous – a stratospheric level of famous – you have to f****** want that s*** to happen to you, and you have to do the deal with the devil."
Speaking about playing the mainstream game on her last LP 'Crash', Charli added: “You have to f****** go there and run people over. I’m not saying it’s a negative thing, it’s not, but I think with ‘Crash’ I definitely wanted to play that game. But I think because of who I am, and the artist that I am and the reference points that I have and the world that I come from, it’s like … there’s just this part of my brain that doesn’t want to function like that.”
The 'Boom Clap' hitmaker didn't go into the project with the aim of selling out.
She added: ”I don’t think I was ever like: ‘I’m going to sell out the mainstream, but I’m going to do it my way’. I was like, ‘I want to sell out and be mainstream… '"
Charli insists she will move forward with her career with "no more fear" of being held back by record labels or disappointing people.
She explained: “I think I’ve just been really inspired by conviction recently.
“I always have been, but I had to witness it in person to really, fully understand that. I want to be completely committed and convicted to an idea and just f*** fear. I think that’s really what it is. No more fear going forward.
“No fear of anyone on the business side holding you back, no fear of people not understanding, no fear of fans being disappointed if maybe you don’t do exactly what they think they want from you, and no fear from yourself. No f****** fear! I want tunnel vision. That’s the way forward!”
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