Charli XCX Talks About Painful Nerve Damage from Energetic Performances

Charli XCX is known for her wild and energetic performances, especially during her Brat Tour. But recently, she has opened up about the physical toll these shows have taken on her body, including suffering from ‘nerve damage’ due to her high-energy antics.

The Price of Fame

The 32-year-old pop star puts everything into her performances, often twerking and moving vigorously around the stage. Charli has shared that this commitment to entertaining her fans has led to significant physical harm.

In a recent interview, she expressed, ‘I’ve done a lot of physical damage to my body from performing. Genuinely, physically, I have nerve damage in my neck from things that I’ve done onstage.’

A Relentless Schedule

Despite the pain, Charli continues to push herself to deliver what she feels is a great performance. She noted, ‘For me to give a performance that I feel is good enough, I have to really physically throw myself around — and that makes me very upset when I do it.’

She also admitted that her busy schedule leaves little room for rest, joking, ‘I also don’t really sleep these days.’ The singer humorously questioned the year, saying, ‘2024 has not been a very restful year, for sure.’

Collaborating with Lorde

Amidst her tour and physical challenges, Charli recently collaborated with New Zealand pop star Lorde on a remix of her song “Girl, So Confusing” from her viral Brat album.

Charli explained that after years of feeling compared to Lorde, she decided to reach out for collaboration on the track. ‘The second I wrote it, I was like, “I need Ella Lorde to be on a remix of this song.”’ Fortunately, Lorde was receptive and suggested doing a verse, which Charli described as ‘incredible’ and an emotional moment for her.

Lessons Learned

Reflecting on her relationship with Lorde, Charli admitted to feeling jealous of her success when Lorde's single “Royals” debuted. She expressed her initial reaction, saying, ‘When Royals came out, I was super jealous of the success that that song got and that Ella got.’

This candid admission highlights Charli's personal growth and how she's learned to appreciate her unique journey in the music industry.

Charli, performance, pain, Lorde