Charli xcx surprise-dropped a new song on Nov. 13, and then surprise-dropped a music video for the song, “Chains of Love,” on Nov. 17. The video hit YouTube much to the delight of fans, who instantly flooded the comments with their praise. Many fans are thrilled at the song and video’s return to the singer’s moody and dark True Romance era — and coming off of the club-ready electric pop album that was Brat, this is certainly a shift.
The three-minute video unfolds entirely in an empty, gothic dining room and almost plays like one continuous shot for a tense, theatrical feel. Charli brings the dramatics — strutting and twirling across a long table surrounded by empty chairs, whipping her hair, and crawling on her hands and knees. The choreography, intensified with slow-motion and glitching special effects, is a perfect blend of chaos that feels almost hypnotic.
Dressed head-to-toe in white, Charli is in contrast with the dark setting, as she appears to be fighting some sort of invisible force. In a matter of minutes, it’s like a full action movie scene as she’s knocked back in slow-mo, hit with shattered glass and broken plates, and haunted by enchanted, moving silverware. By the end of the video, Charli is left bloodied, exhausted, and collapsed upon the table she started on.
The “Chains of Love” track was released on Nov. 13 as the second single off of Charli’s upcoming album Wuthering Heights, dropping Feb. 13, 2026. The album will also serve as the soundtrack to the Wuthering Heights film starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, an adaptation on Charlotte Brontë’s novel of the same name.
For those unfamiliar with Charli’s early days, the True Romance era refers to her 2013 debut album known for its late-’90s-inspired grunge style, and what fans refer to as “Tumblr pop.” The synth-heavy album encapsulated the turn-of-the-century goth and e-girl aesthetics — and fans are thrilled to see Charli returning to a similar vibe.
This music video gave me even more reason to bookmark Charli’s upcoming album in February. Until then, I’ll be listening to “Chains of Love” on repeat.