Lorde felt 'misunderstood' after hearing Charli XCX's 'Girl, So Confusing' and wanted to 'make it right'
The song is on Charli's "Brat" album, which came out in June.
When Lorde first heard Charli XCX's "Girl, So Confusing" — a song that listeners immediately identified as being about the women's rivalry over the years — she had a strong reaction.
It was a "two-part thing of both deep empathy for my friend and this feeling of 'Man, I've been misunderstood, and I really want to make it right,'" the New Zealand singer told Billboard in a story published Wednesday.
The artists have had a complicated relationship over the years, with both of them having admitted they have at times let their insecurities get in the way of a friendship. So it wasn't really a surprise that English artist Charlie XCX, whose real name Charlotte Aitchison, wrote about her peer on her latest album, Brat, which was released in June.
Related: Lorde, Charli XCX address past feud and 'hatred' in 'Girl, So Confusing' remix: 'I was trapped'
Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty; Michael Kovac/Getty
Charli XCX and Lorde have a complicated relationshipWhat was just as surprising is that Charli XCX had called Lorde (born Ella Yelich-O'Connor) ahead of the release to let her know it would be happening and that the "Royals" singer immediately offered to collaborate on a remix, which came out two weeks later.
"I had to go through the process of telling her that this song is about her and her being okay with that first," Charli told the outlet. The "Hot Girl" singer explained that she had been trying to meet up with Lorde for nearly a year, but they kept missing each other, so the day before the record came out, Charli left her a voice note.
"[Lorde] replied straight away and was like, 'Oh, my God, I had no idea you felt this way. I'm so sorry.' And then was like, 'You know, maybe I should be on a version of the song.' I didn't even ask her. She brought it up," Charli said.
Related: Charli XCX confirms rumor she worked on songs for potential new Britney Spears album
Turns out that Lorde's part was cathartic for her.
"When I was writing this verse, I was saying these things to her for the first time," Lorde said. "There was such a rawness and an immediacy to what I was saying. I love that we truly did work it out on the remix."
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The verse that Lorde penned said, in part: "Well, honestly, I was speechless/When I woke up to your voice note/You told me how you'd been feeling/Let's work it out on the remix." She went on to say that she'd been "at war" with her body and thinking that Charli's life "seemed so awesome."
Meanwhile, in both songs, Charli XCX's lyrics include the lines, "Yeah, I don't know if you like me/Sometimes I think you might hate me/Sometimes I think I might hate you."
Related: Charli XCX and the 1975's George Daniel are engaged
To hear Charli tell it, they're in a better place because of the song they did as a team.
"When I was listening to [Lorde's] verse for the first time, I was backstage at the show," she said. "My hair stylist also does her hair...and was like, 'I'm so happy you guys are good.'"
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