Watch Charli XCX’s Punk Cover of Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off”

February 10th, 2015

Nina Corcoran

Britain’s pop-meets-punk singer-songwriter Charli XCX put out her excellent sophomore LP Sucker last year to applauding reviews. While she’s busy supporting that album, Charli XCX took some time to stop by the BBC’s Live Lounge to perform a cover of Taylor Swift‘s “Shake It Off.” Considering the two are friends, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. And given Charli XCX’s fondness for breaking the rules of pop and fashion, her twist on the mainstream hit shouldn’t come as a surprise, either.

In classic Charli XCX style, she turns “Shake It Off” into a pop song for fists in the air. Right from the sassy count off, Charli XCX aims to bring rock into the mix with dueling guitar lines. There’s the swirling guitar solo at the end, the fierce articulation, and the gritty bass. What Charli XCX really brings here, though, is sharp new wave. There’s equal undertones of Sleater-Kinney and The Waitresses, turning “Shake It Off” into an electro-glossed dance of fast quips and bedroom singing.

Give it a listen below (via Stereogum):