Charli xcx released her seventh album on July 24, titled Music, Fashion, Film, and fans are already working to dissect the hidden meaning behind the 11 songs. Pivoting from sounds of Brat summer, Charli uses bedroom pop and sounds of rock music to express herself this time around. One song in particular has stood out to fans — “Persona.” Many are wondering, who is Charli xcx’s “Persona” about? The rumored answer might surprise you.
“Persona,” the ninth track of Music, Fashion, Film, already has fans questioning who she’s singing to, or about, with many emphasizing the possibility of her singing to herself. Fans especially took notice of the pre-chorus following verse two, where lyrics become more specific, furthering fan theories. Here’s a closer look at what fans are saying about who Charli’s song is about — and why the biggest guess is that it’s about herself.
Starting the pre-chorus off strong, Charli sings, “You like the sound of your voice, and I like the sound of mine.” These lyrics seem to make it obvious that the artist is, at least, focused on a performer. Then, Charli sings, “I see your face in a film, and it makes me wanna cry.” Charli isn’t just a pop star — following the release of A24’s The Moment, the star has been linked to many upcoming projects, including the films 100 Nights A Hero and Sacrifice.
​Later on in the song, Charli sings, “I love the stories you tell, but I can tell when you lie.” Everyone knows Charli is Hollywood’s favorite troll, with her even mentioning in a conversation with New York Magazine that “lying is so fun, so brat.” This just adds to the theory that this is a song dedicated to herself.
​As the artist slides into the rest of the song, it really seems to drift from subtly hinting at a personal ballad into a poetic poem of self-awareness. Charli gives fans one last clue about who “Persona” is about before going into the outro, with the lyrics, “Sometimes, I get triggered, and that’s probably ’cause you and I are alike.” It’s a symbolic line that almost makes you visualize the artist singing in the mirror.
The song ultimately ends with the back-and-forth banter of, “when you see me, when I see you,” almost finalizing the idea that this song is a raw take at recognizing who you are — the good, the bad, the musician, the actress, and so much more.Â