John Cale will collaborate with Charli XCX again: "I'm determined to discover the next level"

John Cale, who turned 84 last March 9th, is still looking to the future, and he sees Charli XCX as one of the most stimulating artists to work with. After featuring on the track “House“, included on the soundtrack of Emerald Fennell's film “Wuthering Heights”, the Welsh musician praised the British singer in a new interview with Rolling Stone, describing how much the shared experience had broadened his creative horizons.
According to Cale, working with Charli XCX taught him that “there are no limits to what I can expect from her”. The former Velvet Underground member added that he intends to push things even further: “I'm determined to find the next level with her, maybe some kind of operatic vocal stream of consciousness”.

The bond between the two has grown stronger in recent months. Cale also appears on the cover of Charli XCX's new editorial project, "Music, Fashion, Film", alongside Martin Scorsese and Marc Jacobs. The singer, for her part, has never hidden her admiration for Cale and the Velvet Underground, having stated in the past: "I feel really honoured to know him".

Looking back on their first meeting, Cale recalls being struck by the English artist's personality: "She's brilliant and has built a kind of fortress around herself, surrounding herself with creatives who share her vision and give her the support she needs to express herself at her best twenty-four hours a day. And she does it fearlessly". Asked what sets Charli XCX apart from other contemporary artists, Cale replied: "She has energy and vitality, combined with a deep knowledge of music, even music very different from her own. She can pick up on cultural shifts before they fully emerge, and she manages to make the most of them without losing her own identity". The Welsh musician described Charli XCX as "smart, funny, a little whirlwind always on the move and endlessly curious", adding that her desire to explore new ideas "knows no bounds". He also admitted: "The generosity she shows towards my history and my current work is almost enough to make me blush".

As is often the case with the British singer, the photo shoot for the new project's cover also came about in a completely spontaneous way. "She told me she had an idea to pitch to me. We talked about a video, a tribute to a place and a moment in time. A moment later I was already on a plane. In the end we found ourselves in some random kitchen".

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