Charli XCX reveals she’s taken up painting to ease her ‘frustration’ at being stuck behind closed doors as COVID-19 lockdown keeps her at home
Charli XCX has revealed that the thing that eases the frustration of being stuck behind closed doors is painting. She sat down for an interview over FaceTime with Zane Lowe on Apple Music on Tuesday, where she spoke about how she’s been keeping herself occupied as she enters a full week of not leaving her London abode.
The 27-year-old singer said: ‘Well, I’m inside. I mean this is my, I think, sixth day now. The past two days I’m feeling like more kind of frustrated. I feel like even though I’m doing a lot of things like talking to you, going on live streams.
‘I’m in the process of downloading Logic right now. So I’m like, okay maybe I’ll start making some stuff but I don’t know.’
On finally having to spend an extended period of time in her own home, she admitted: ‘The first few days I was kind of into it, because I was like, wow, I never stay inside, I never enjoy my own space, this is really interesting.
‘I’m actually enjoying the house that I live in but I never really like lived in it before. I’m always like, I’ve got to go out, I’ve got to do this but now I’m over that. That was four days ago. Now I’m done.’
Since the current situation is really bad, she keeps her fans, who are also on lockdown, entertained which has been a case with many celebrities worldwide.
Speaking of her commitment to providing light relief for her social media followers during testing times, she said: ‘You know, I think with this kind of time period, it’s important to really acknowledge it and understand the world that we live in.
‘But I also think it’s important to be able to adapt and use the tools that you have to try and connect with people…
‘What I’ve been doing isn’t that life-changing or serious, like working out with Diplo on Instagram Live is not going to change anyone’s life, but I’m just trying to be productive with my time and provide some kind of entertainment for people at home.
‘Because I think really it’s like the point is to encourage people to stay home so that we can help stop the spread of this virus so that we can support hospitals, infrastructures and I know that a lot of artists are doing live streams.’
She added: ‘I just think whatever possible way, wherever you can use your platform to… whether it be make people smile or help educate people who might not be totally up to speed on everything, that’s really great.’
Recalling the last time she ventured into the outside world, Charli – real name Charlotte Aitchison – said: ‘It was six days ago. Although we’re running low on some stuff now, so I might have to go out to a supermarket in a safe way and get some more supplies.
‘I went out into my garden this morning, but I haven’t gone out on a walk, I haven’t left my property.
‘It’s been six days and I have these moments where I’ll just be living my life and then suddenly I’ll have this kind of existential thought where I’m like, “Whoa, this is crazy. I’m doing this, but the rest of the world is also doing this. Everybody is inside their house. This is the world now.”
‘It kind of blows my mind. I don’t know. You know what I mean? I feel like I’m really high or something and I’m like, “This is insane.” This is life.
‘What’s interesting as well is I’m fortunate enough that whilst, yes, I am inside, my circumstances have not drastically changed to a point where I’m in an extremely different situation. I don’t have to support a young family.
‘I don’t have to support anybody who’s elderly, and suffering with the virus, and has a low immune system. I’m extremely lucky and fortunate to be in that situation.
‘For me, when I look around my world, yes, it’s changed because I’m indoors and a lot of things have been cancelled. I think it’s the same for a lot of people who are also in my situation.
That’s kind of trippy in itself because there’s been this massive change, but it’s also like we’re in this bubble. It’s kind of hard to register exactly how drastic it is. It’s this very strange catch 22.’