Lights flicker, strings swell—pop’s perpetual boundary-pusher Charli XCX has just dropped a deliciously eerie teaser for her upcoming song “House”, featuring Velvet Underground co-founder John Cale, and it’s bound for the soundtrack of Emerald Fennell’s forthcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation.
What We Know So Far
Charli shared a cryptic Instagram clip showing her lying on the ground as a raven-like bird circles overhead. A voice intones, “Can I speak to you privately for a moment?”, while violins slice through the background. It’s unsettling, cinematic, and far removed from the glossy pop of her Brat era.
“House” is confirmed as the first release from Charli’s album created for Fennell’s film, due out November 10, 2025.
Collaboration with John Cale
Cale’s involvement adds an unmistakable layer of avant-gothic credibility. Charli said she was inspired by a phrase of his—“elegant and brutal”—which became a conceptual anchor for both the track and the wider project. She explained, “That voice, so elegant, so brutal… I sent him some songs. He recorded something and sent it to me. Something that only John could do. It made me cry.”
The Mood & the Narrative
This isn’t your average Charli XCX single—it’s steeped in gothic atmosphere. She described writing about the moors, the mud, the cold; passion and pain; England in stormy weather. It’s the emotional world of Wuthering Heights rendered in sound: haunting strings, tension, and raw romanticism.
The film itself reportedly stars Margot Robbie as Catherine and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, set for release in early 2026. “House” is positioned as both a sonic reflection of that story and a bold evolution of Charli’s artistry.
Why It Matters
Rather than a typical pop single, “House” signals a new creative phase—one where Charli merges art-pop ambition with cinematic storytelling. Teaming up with John Cale bridges generations and genres: his Velvet Underground heritage meeting her hyper-pop instincts in something dark, textural, and unpredictable.
Final Word
We’re watching a pop star step into art-house territory, uniting gothic romance and avant-rock experimentation. If “House” delivers on its promise to be both elegant and brutal, Charli XCX won’t just enter a new era—she might redefine what a modern pop soundtrack can be.