London’s National Portrait Gallery has acquired a portrait of pop singer Charli XCX by British photographer Harley Weir, displaying the artwork in its History Makers Now space as the musician targets her second UK number one album of the year, per bbc.com.
The 2024 photograph, depicting the artist in a white crop top and unbuttoned black jeans, served as key promotional imagery for her album Brat. Funded by a gift from the Bukhman Foundation, the acquisition highlights figures who shape contemporary culture. Senior curator Brandei Estes said Weir’s distinctive visual language captures “one of the defining cultural figures of her generation.”
The gallery announcement comes as Charli XCX’s eighth studio record, Music, Fashion, Film, leads the Official Charts Company midweeks ahead of releases by Snow Patrol, Shania Twain, and The Strokes. If it maintains its lead, the album will become her fourth UK number one overall, following her Wuthering Heights soundtrack release in February.
Over the weekend, the singer released three additional tracks as part of an iTunes deluxe edition following fan demand, reversing a previous decision to omit them from digital platforms. Charli XCX is scheduled to headline the Reading & Leeds festival next month.
The portrait acquisition formalises Charli XCX’s transition from cult act to mainstream cultural figurehead. Her critical and commercial breakthrough with Brat in 2024 established her influence across music, fashion, and contemporary art, securing her position within the national collection.
°Featured image: Charli XCX/Harley Weir / National Portrait Gallery