Charli XCX Defends Her Performance Amid Glastonbury Autotune Debate
She also stood by the idea that bold, boundary-pushing art is valuable
Charli XCX has firmly established herself as one of today’s top global pop stars. Her latest album, Brat, has taken her straight to the top of the charts and earned her spots on the biggest festival stages around the world. One of the standout moments in this rise was her much-anticipated performance at Glastonbury 2025, held in her home country, the UK.
Her set quickly became one of the most talked-about of the festival. She brought high energy, striking visuals, and a powerful stage presence. But not everyone was on board. Some online critics took issue with her use of autotune during parts of the show. Fans and commentators on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) called out the vocal effect, raising questions about how “live” her performance really was.
As expected, Charli didn’t hold back. Known for her unfiltered approach, she addressed the backlash directly on X. In one of her most shared posts, she wrote: “Like the idea that singing with deliberate autotune makes you a fraud or that not having a traditional band suddenly means you must not be a “real artist” is like, the most boring take ever. yawn sorry just fell asleep xx.”
Charli XCX claps back at Boomers for criticizing her use of autotune during her Glastonbury performance this past weekend 👀 What are your thoughts? 💭
[Via X/ @charli_xcx] pic.twitter.com/FxSkRqNEbl— MuchMusic (@Much) June 30, 2025
She also stood by the idea that bold, boundary-pushing art is valuable: “But to be honest… I enjoy the discourse. Imo the best art is divisive and confrontational and often evolves into truly interesting culture rather than being like kind of ok, easily understood and sort of forgettable.”
To wrap it all up, she threw in a final playful jab: “Really enjoying these boomer vibe comments on my glastonbury performance. it’s super fascinating to me.”
Is the Brat Era Over?
Beyond the controversy, Charli’s performance closed with a mysterious message that has fans buzzing with theories. At the very end of the show, a cryptic phrase appeared on screen—one that many are taking as a farewell to the Brat era. Not to mention that she ‘set on fire’ ‘Brat’.
Charli xcx sets ‘BRAT’ on fire at Glastonbury. pic.twitter.com/USorxF7f02
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 29, 2025
This could be a sign that a new creative phase is on the horizon for the artist. With her provocative approach to pop and a bold stance against traditional norms, Charli XCX isn’t just defending her work—she’s helping define where the genre is headed.