Helen Dearnley is an illustrator and entrepreneur with over ten years' experience, including

Brent David Freaney, the designer behind the distinctive artwork for Charli XCX's 2024 album ‘Brat’, has shared new details about the creative process that led to one of the decade's most recognisable album covers. Speaking at a design conference in San Francisco, Freaney explained that the project, created alongside Charli XCX and creative director Imogene Strauss, was guided by the concept of the “death of the finished state”, encouraging experimentation rather than pursuing a single perfect outcome from the outset. He noted that creative development often involves discovering what does not work before defining the final direction. Freaney also revealed that the now-famous blurred typography originated unexpectedly after he viewed a low-resolution screenshot created by an export error, an accident that ultimately became a defining feature of the finished artwork. He said neither he nor Charli anticipated the enormous cultural impact the album would have, adding that his main goal had been to produce visuals that authentically reflected the music and satisfied the artist. The artwork later received industry recognition when Freaney, Charli XCX and the creative team won the Grammy Award for Best Recording Package in 2025. The article also highlights Charli XCX's forthcoming album, ‘Music, Fashion, Film’, due for release on 24 July, whose visuals were also designed by Freaney's agency, Special Offer, Inc. Beyond discussing the new record, the article touches on recent interviews in which Charli spoke about collaborating creatively, spending time with Madonna, her mental health, her mixed-race Indian heritage, and her upcoming headline appearance at Reading & Leeds Festival.