After a month-long build up and a Boiler Room set for the history books, Charli XCX finally released “Von Dutch” on Feb. 29, 2024. The song serves as the lead single for her upcoming project, Brat, set to release sometime this summer.
“Von Dutch” embodies the spirit of the club to create what may be the party girl anthem of the year. From bass-boosting synths to “it girl energy” infused lyrics, “Von Dutch” is set to have the clubs shaking, potentially creating a level 8 mother quake, I fear.
The first verse sets up the unapologetic and confident tone of the song with the following lyrics:
“It’s ok to just admit that you’re jealous of me /
Yeah, I heard you talk about me, that’s the word on the street /
You’re obsessing, just confess it, put your hands up /
It’s obvious I’m your number one.”
Directly after this verse is when the synths kick in. They ascend and descend throughout the song in an extremely satisfying way, creating the perfect amount of hype for a club banger.
The chorus starts with a cataclysmic beat drop and more saturated and layered synths that make one feel as though they’re ascending to another plane of existence. The first lines of the chorus go as follows:
“I’m just living that life /
Von Dutch, cult classic, but I still pop.”
Von Dutch is an expensive and popular clothing brand that reigned supreme in the early 2000’s. Given its popularity in the mainstream, many people who could afford it wore the brand. The line can be interpreted as an expression of originality. Though Charli lives the “Von Dutch” lifestyle, she still shines through and stays unique to herself in a community where most conform to what is trending.
The song continues to build up until it explodes in the very end. “Von Dutch” is a club anthem for it girls, non-conformists, confident individuals and those who just want to party. Fortunately, this is not the last we’ll see of party-girl-era Charli.
On Twitter, Charli shared that Brat will be a club album. Along with that, she said that the music featured on Brat is the type of music she has always wanted to make. Not only does this mean that we’re getting more dance music from Charli, but we’re also getting music that Charli is fully confident in, which is a good thing for any artist.
I would recommend staying off the streets for a bit, as Charli XCX is known for creating some reckless drivers. If you’re looking to tear the club up or have the time of your life, I highly recommend giving “Von Dutch” a listen.
