New Shapes

"New Shapes" is a song by English singer Charli XCX, featuring French singer Christine and the Queens and American singer Caroline Polachek. It was released on 4 November 2021 as the second single from XCX's fifth studio album, Crash (2022). The song has been described as an '80s-inspired synth-pop, indie pop, and electro-funk track.^[1][2][3][4]

"New Shapes"
Single by Charli XCX featuring Christine and the Queens and Caroline Polachek
from the album Crash
Released	4 November 2021 (2021-11-04)
Genre	Synth-pop indie pop electro-funk
Length	3:20
Label	Asylum Warner UK
Songwriter(s)	Charlotte Aitchison Deaton Chris Anthony Noonie Bao Héloïse Letissier Caroline Polachek Linus Wiklund
Producer(s)	Lotus IV Deaton Chris Anthony
Charli XCX singles chronology
"Good Ones" (2021) "New Shapes" (2021) "Beg for You" (2022)
Christine and the Queens singles chronology
"3Sex" (2020) "New Shapes" (2021) "Body" (2022)
Caroline Polachek singles chronology
"Bunny Is a Rider" (2021) "New Shapes" (2021) "Awful Things" (2021)
Music video
"New Shapes" on YouTube

Background

 

Charli XCX performing "New Shapes"

"New Shapes" was written by Charli XCX, Christine and the Queens, Caroline Polachek, Noonie Bao, Linus Wiklund and Deaton Chris Anthony, with the latter two also handling the production duties. It marks the second collaborative effort between both XCX and Christine, and XCX and Polachek. The former pairing made the 2019 single "Gone", while the latter created the track "Tears" from the 2017 mixtape Pop 2. Christine and Polachek, meanwhile, had previously worked together on the song "La vita nuova" in 2020. The single was described as '80s-influenced^[5] and "synth-heavy", with lyrics "lamenting (...) inability to truly let (...) significant others in, instead pushing them away, rejecting true love and embracing freedom".^[6] The track was released on 4 November 2021, with Charli XCX simultaneously announcing the title and cover of her album Crash, as well as the 2022 concert tour.^[7][6] The song was also previously teased during a live performance earlier in 2021, alongside another unreleased track.

Music video

The music video for the song was directed by Imogene Strauss, Luke Orlando, and Terrence O'Connor, and was released on 12 November 2021.^[8] It begins with Charli XCX, Caroline Polachek and Christine and the Queens participating in an imaginary TV Heaven chat show, hosted by Benito Skinner, before teaming up to perform the song on stage. The video parodies sexist, late-night talk show hosts.^[9]

Critical reception

Pitchfork's Vrinda Jagota described the song in a positive review as having "towering swells of '80s production", stating that it "combines the euphoria of a Patrick Swayze dance number with the crushing depth of a Fleabag monologue: a celebration of a love too radioactive to last."^[5] Clash's Ana Lamond said that the song "takes an alternative route to empowerment, with a laser focused hook [...] seeing the hyper-pop connoisseurs rise above the manipulative relationships they find themselves haunted by."^[10]

Track listing

Digital download and streaming^[11]

1. "New Shapes" – 3:20

Streaming – bonus tracks^[12]

1. "New Shapes" – 3:20
2. "Good Ones" – 2:16

Charts

Chart performance for "New Shapes"

Chart (2021)	Peak position
Ireland (IRMA)^[13]	90
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)^[14]	39

Release history

Release history for "New Shapes"

Region	Date	Format	Label	Ref.
Various	4 November 2021	Digital Download Streaming	Asylum Warner UK	^[11]

References

1. Cills, Hazel (4 November 2021). "Charli XCX (feat. Caroline Polachek & Christine and the Queens), 'New Shapes'". NPR. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
2. Curto, Justin (4 November 2021). "It's Charli (and Chris) (and Caroline), Baby, on 'ຖēຟ ŞhคpēŞ'". Vulture. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
3. Bennett, Eric (18 March 2022). "Charli XCX Follows Her Pop Passion on the Uneven CRASH". Paste. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
4. Green, Thomas H. (19 March 2022). "Album: Charli XCX - Crash". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
5. Vrinda Jagota (4 November 2021). ""New Shapes" [ft. Christine and the Queens and Caroline Polachek] by Charli XCX Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
6. Starr Bowenbank (4 November 2021). "Charli XCX Announces New Album & Tour, Drops 'New Shapes' With Caroline Polachek & Christine and the Queens". Billboard. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
7. George Griffiths (4 November 2021). "Charli XCX announces new album Crash, due March 2022 and drops single New Shapes". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
8. Jordan Darville (12 November 2021). "Charli XCX shares video for "New Shapes" featuring Christine and the Queens and Caroline Polachek". The Fader. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
9. Lygeia Gomes (16 November 2021). "'New Shapes' by Charli XCX". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
10. Lamond, Ana (15 April 2022). "Charli XCX: Her 17 Best Songs". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
11. "Charli XCX - New Shapes (feat. Christine and the Queens and Caroline Polachek)". 4 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021 – via Deezer.
12. "New Shapes (feat. Christine and the Queens and Caroline Polachek)". Retrieved 22 November 2021 – via Spotify.
13. "Discography Charli XCX". irish-charts.com. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
14. "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 15 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.