Charli XCX opens up on Wuthering Heights collaboration with Velvet Underground icon: ‘It made me cry’

Pop star says she’s a ‘huge fan’ of John Cale as they collaborate on harsh song for new film adaptation of Emily Brontë’s novel

Pop sensation Charli XCX has unveiled a striking new collaboration with John Cale, the revered multi-instrumentalist and singer from the iconic group Velvet Underground, which left her emotional.

The track, titled "House," marks the first release from Charli XCX’s score for Emerald Fennell’s upcoming film adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic novel, Wuthering Heights.

"House" features a distinctive spoken-word contribution from Cale, underscored by his characteristic harsh viola, before culminating in a screamed chorus: "I think I’m gonna die in this house."

Announcing the song last week, the 33-year-old singer, real name Charlotte Aitchison, expressed her profound admiration for the 1960s Lou Reed-led band on Instagram, stating she was a "huge fan."

Her inspiration stemmed from Todd Haynes’s 2021 documentary about the New York group, particularly Cale’s description of their artistic drive to create songs that were both "elegant and brutal."

The singer elaborated on her decision to reach out to Cale: "So I decided to reach out to him to get his opinion on the songs that his phrase had so deeply inspired, but also to see whether he might want to collaborate on any."

She continued, describing their initial contact: "We got connected, we spoke on the phone and wow… that voice, so elegant, so brutal, I sent him some songs and we started talking specifically about ‘House’. We spoke about the idea of a poem. He recorded something and sent it to me. Something that only John could do. And it was… well, it made me cry."

The accompanying music video for the single depicts Charli XCX lying in a bed within a forest house, as the Welsh singer Cale stands over her, reciting his lines. He then places his hand on her head, coinciding with a raven flying away. Later scenes show the pair in the forest, with Charli kneeling on the ground in a white dress, whipping her hair into the air, before running off as the video concludes.

Reflecting on the project, Charli XCX added in her Instagram post: "After being so in the depths of my previous album, I was excited to escape into something entirely new, entirely opposite."

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She shared her vision for the source material: "When I think of Wuthering Heights, I think of many things. I think of passion and pain. I think of England. I think of the Moors, I think of the mud and the cold. I think of determination and grit."

John Cale, 83, was a founding member of The Velvet Underground alongside Lou Reed, Moe Tucker, Sterling Morrison, and Nico. He contributed to their seminal first album, The Velvet Underground And Nico, and their second, White Light/White Heat, before embarking on a prolific solo career.

The band’s well-known tracks featuring Cale include "Sunday Morning," "I’m Waiting For The Man," "Femme Fatale," and "I’ll Be Your Mirror." Cale has since released 19 studio albums as a solo artist, notably Songs For Drella, which saw him reunite with Reed.

John Cale performing in New York City in July 2017 (Getty Images for NARAS)

Charli XCX experienced a significant surge in her career following the release of her critically acclaimed sixth studio album, Brat, in June 2024. She is celebrated for her distinctive blend of hyper-pop, electronica, and dance music, with popular songs including "Guess," "Von Dutch," and "I Love It," recorded with Swedish duo Icona Pop.

Emerald Fennell’s psychological thriller, which stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, is slated to premiere in February 2026.