The National Portrait Gallery has officially added a portrait of Charli XCX to its collection. The photograph was captured by photographer Harley Weir and has been placed in the gallery's History Makers Now space.
Senior curator Brandei Estes praised the artistic choice, noting that Weir "has developed a distinctive photographic language that combines intimacy with a powerful sense of presence." The acquisition was made possible through a gift from the Bukhman Foundation. The portrait has become a key visual associated with Charli's Brat era.
The gallery described XCX as either "one of the defining cultural figures of her generation" or "one of the defining artists of our time." The specific year the photograph was taken is reported as either 2023 or 2024.
Charli XCX's eighth album, 'Music, Fashion, Film', was released on Friday. Critically acclaimed by publications like *The Guardian*—which called her "our most consistently bracing pop star"—and *DIY*, which dubbed the record a "candid, introspective triumph," the project is aiming for a number one chart position in the UK. It could potentially become her fourth UK career number one and second of this year.
The album release included three B-sides: 'I Keep on Thinking Bout You Every Single Day and Night', 'Playboy Bunny', and 'If You Take Away the Music Then What Has She Got?'. Additionally, *The New York Times* described the work as "proudly prickly [and] satisfyingly scuzzy."
Continuing her active tour cycle, Charli XCX is set to headline the Reading and Leeds festival. Furthermore, according to some reports, she will embark on a North American tour through September and October.