On Wednesday, March 6, Billboard held its annual Billboard Women In Music event, which will stream in full on Thursday, March 7, beginning at 8 p.m. ET. But a video of Charli XCX’s performance is already making the rounds because Charli reportedly debuted an unreleased song dedicated to the late songwriter and producer Sophie, who died from an accidental fall in January 2021.
There are conflicting reports as to whether the song is called “So Do I” or “So I,” but the video finds Charli belting emotional, yearning lyrics like, “Wish I tried to pull you closer / You pushed me hard, made me focus” and “You’d say, ‘Come on, stay for dinner’ / I’d say, ‘No, I’m fine’ (Now, I really wish I stayed) / Always on my mind.”
Charli has frequently spoken publicly about her close friendship with Sophie, who co-produced Charli’s 2016 EP, Vroom Vroom. She penned an open letter in February 2021, noting, “It’s really hard for me to sum up the special connection I felt with such an amazing person who completely changed my life.” This February, Charli gave an interview to The Face and spoke about a song dedicated to Sophie on her newly announced album, Brat, which is presumably the one she sang at Billboard Women In Music.
“There was a lot of distance between us because I was in awe of her and wanted to impress her,” the UK pop star said. “She believed in me in ways that I didn’t believe [in] myself. But I felt like I would never be interesting enough to operate in her world outside of the studio, which was the safe space where we could connect and bond over music.”
Charli continued, “I didn’t feel like I was magical enough for this unbelievably magic person. And that makes me ashamed now I don’t have the opportunity to experience that anymore, because she’s gone. I feel ashamed for being a coward. It’s hard to write about. I’m sad for myself that I didn’t experience all this person had to offer.”
Charli was recognized with the Powerhouse award at the Billboard Women In Music 2024. Brat is due out sometime this summer, she confirmed before releasing the lead single, “Von Dutch,” last week.
Charli XCX is a Warner Music artist. .
