Charli xcx is refusing to let her cultural momentum fade, unveiling a striking new music video that culminates in a high-profile celebrity cameo. The visual serves as a promotional pillar for her upcoming cinematic venture, The Moment.
Unveiled on Tuesday (Jan. 27), the video for A.G. Cook’s “Residue”—the third track released from The Moment’s original score—features the British pop innovator navigating a shadowy warehouse to the pulse of distorted synths. As the atmosphere grows increasingly claustrophobic, flickering lights reveal that the industrial space is teeming with Charli doppelgängers.
The visual reaches its crescendo when the camera moves into a chamber filled with these replicas, standing eerily still before a strobing backdrop. They eventually erupt into a synchronized dance as cryptic slogans such as “Don’t let it be over,” “I never go home,” and “Dead horse” flash across the screen.
However, the most talked-about sequence arrives in the final moments. A silhouette, mimicking the singer’s recognizable posture, takes a drag from a cigarette before the lights brighten to reveal the surprise guest: Kylie Jenner.
The release of “Residue” comes just three days ahead of the premiere of A24’s The Moment, a mockumentary centered on the whirlwind 2024 Brat era. A.G. Cook, a pivotal architect of the Brat sound, composed the film’s score, which also includes the previously released singles “Offscreen” and “Dread.”
In addition to Jenner, the film features appearances by Rosanna Arquette, Kate Berlant, and Alexander Skarsgård. During a recent panel at the Sundance Film Festival, Charli reflected on the process of portraying a hyper-dramatized version of her own persona for the project.
“My character is obviously a close relative of mine, so there was plenty of inspiration to pull from,” she explained. “I’d like to think I’m not quite the nightmare depicted in the film, though my managers are here in the audience and they might have a different perspective on that.”
Addressing her creative evolution, she added: “Right now, I feel similar to the version of me in the movie—someone who is ready for Brat to conclude so I can pivot. That doesn’t stem from a lack of love for the project; it’s just that as an artist, you want to constantly challenge yourself. You want to change the creative soup you’re in and inhabit a different bowl for a while.”
You can watch the full “Residue” music video above.
