When Charli XCX and Lorde crossed paths, then teamed up on the Girls So Confusing remix, fans were thrilled. Whether or not there was ever any beef, the takeaway that whatever tension existed was behind them, charging the remix with a celebratory energy that made it a true pop culture victory.
Exciting as that was, it didn’t hit me in the same way a Charli XCX and Marina and the Diamonds collab would. That? That would be revolutionary.
A Charli X Marina team-up would feel more unexpected—and meaningful—than anything Charli and Lorde could deliver. It’d be the perfect full-circle moment for fans who lived through Electra Heart, watching two Tumblr-era icons join forces in the way we’ve all been low-key praying for.
From Opening Act to Pop Royalty
It feels like just yesterday I was packed into the Shrine in Los Angeles, circa 2013, watching Charli XCX open for Marina. That show was chaos—in the best way. It was peak Tumblr-era energy: Hearts drawn on cheeks like Marina, platform boots, crop tops, and a sense of collective elation.
Looking back now, it’s wild how much has shifted. At the time, Marina was the undisputed indie-pop queen, ruling the stage with her fiercely loyal fanbase, while Charli was still finding her footing in the underground scene.
Fast forward to today: The tables have turned. Charli XCX is now one of the most influential pop stars, constantly upping the ante and collaborating with the industry’s biggest names. Meanwhile, Marina has stepped back, embracing a quieter, more introspective phase in her career.
The Fruit That Launched a Thousand Tweets
Of course, their story isn’t just a walk down memory lane and good vibes. Enter the infamous “fruit photoshoot.”
In 2016, Charli XCX did a promotional photoshoot for Impulse, a perfume. The photoshoot and commercial featured Charli in colorful attire against a tropical looking background with fruit sprinkled throughout.
Marina felt Charli’s fruit-filled shoot was a little too similar to her Froot album aesthetic, and she wasn’t about to let that slide.
Marina responded to Charli’s now-deleted Impulse Instagram post that “That FROOT looks familiar!”—a comment has taken on a life of its own online.
Doubling down, Marina then followed up with a Tweet: “Imagery is artistic property. Please respect your fellow artists.”
Charli in turn responded to Marina’s Tweet with “i’m guessing this is aimed at me. If so, response posted here,” with a link to an Instagram post.
Petty? Maybe. Actually, definitely.
Nevertheless, that’s how FROOTgate started.
The Time Has Come
Ever since, fans have operated on the assumption that there’s an ongoing, fruit-forward feud between Charli and Marina. Forget the Lorde remix—if there’s one pop star rift I need closure on, it’s Marina and Charli.
And I’m not asking for much here—just a coffee date between them to mend a collective, decade-old pop culture wound.
Charli for one, seems to have made peace with it, poking fun at FROOTgate on social media a few times over the years.
But let’s dream bigger: A Charli x Marina collaboration could be genuinely special. Both are immensely talented artists and songwriters, capable of creating something fun and deeply memorable. If Marina ever agreed—or if Charli surprised us by bringing her on stage—it’d be redemption.
We got a small sense of resolution in 2022, when Charli playfully revisited the years-old sour exchange with a tongue-in-cheek quip.
Unfortunately, Marina never responded. It takes two to beef; it takes two to settle it.
I’m not sure all of Charli’s current fandom would recognize the significance of such a moment, should it ever come to fruition. Her audience has grown so much over the years, and many newer fans might not even know Marina.
But the real ones? We were there.
And we remember.
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