Charli XCX, the three-time Grammy winner known for her pop music, has expressed reluctance about recording a theme song for the James Bond franchise. In a recent interview, she joked about the possibility while acknowledging the iconic history of Bond themes. The franchise is undergoing a revamp with new director and writer announcements.
Charli XCX recently discussed the prospect of contributing a theme song to the James Bond series during an appearance on SiriusXM’s The Julia Cunningham Show. The singer, who recently composed the soundtrack for Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, highlighted her self-perceived mismatch for the role. “I got to say, I don’t think that I am built for that,” she said. “I think I probably sing with too much AutoTune to do a James Bond. Never say never. I’m open to it if they want to call me, which they won’t but, yeah. I think it might not be a fit, but that’s, well, yeah. It’s not going to happen now, is it? So amazing. I don’t know.”
She playfully addressed producer Barbara Broccoli, saying, “Barbara, call me,” while gesturing to the camera. This comes amid Amazon MGM Studios' efforts to revitalize the 007 franchise. In June, the studio selected Denis Villeneuve to direct the next film, and last month, Steven Knight was tapped to write the screenplay. The production maintains its partnership with returning producers Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, with Tanya Lapointe serving as executive producer.
The James Bond theme song tradition boasts contributions from artists like Madonna, Adele, Sam Smith, Billie Eilish, Paul McCartney, and Tina Turner. Daniel Craig portrayed Bond in five films: Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015), and No Time to Die (2021). Preceding actors include Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan. Craig's successor remains unannounced.
Beyond music, Charli XCX featured in a Sundance triple: her meta mockumentary The Moment, which debuted last weekend, plus roles in Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex and Cathy Yan’s The Gallerist.