Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights has such a distinct style. From the gothic sets to the super unique outfits, she’s created a world that made this adaptation of Emily Brontë’s novel all her own. This world was also soundtracked by Charli XCX, and now, the director – who described herself as a “psychotic details demon” – explained how she got the pop star to write music for this gothic romantic tragedy.
If you went and saw Wuthering Heights when it premiered on the 2026 movie schedule, you got to hear the mix of a beautiful score with the music of Charli XCX. That’s because the “Apple” singer wrote an album to accompany the film. Speaking about how this all happened with Baz Luhrmann for Interview Magazine, Fennell explained:
But Charli, I got her number off Margot and texted her completely unsolicited and said, ‘Would you read the script?’ I didn’t even know what I was asking. I was just like, ‘Look, if you respond to it, I’d love to talk to you about it.’ I’m maniacally prescriptive about a lot of things. I’m a psychotic details demon, but…
Now, before we get back to how Charli XCX was hired, let’s take a moment to detour and focus on the director calling herself a “psychotic details demon.” The Elvis director certainly did, as he stopped her to have the following back and forth:
- Baz Luhrmann: I’m going to call you that from now on, a psychotic details demon.
- Emerald Fennell: [Laughs] Well, it’s things like spending a whole day looking at different consistencies of male ejaculate.
- Baz Luhrmann: [Laughs] Absolutely.—
While Fennell’s movies are polarizing, I think many could agree that they are very detailed and she has a super distinct style. Her worlds in movies like Wuthering Heights and Saltburn are rich and detailed, and yes, those details include things like what was in the water during the bathtub scene in Saltburn.
Anyways, getting back to the music, Fennell’s detail-oriented book-to-screen adaptation of Wuthering Heights was something the Brat artist responded to, as the director explained:
Unfortunately, it’s part of the job, isn’t it? [Laughs] So she called me back and said, ‘What do you want from me?’ And I was like, ‘Was there a musical response to how it made you feel?’ And she was like, ‘What do you think about me doing an album?’ I was like, ‘Are you fucking kidding? I’d die.’ And then she started sending me stuff that was just sublime. This is the point in her life where she is the busiest woman in the world. I don’t know how she does it. She’s a bit like Margot. There are these women, and I’m sure men too, who are 10 people.
Ultimately, Charli XCX wrote an album titled Wuthering Heights that features 12 tracks. It was released on the same day as the movie, and it’s worth noting that it came out while the singer was releasing another film that she was starring in.
As Fennell alluded to, Charli XCX is very busy. On top of being a musician, she’s also started dipping into the world of acting, as she starred in her own mockumentary about her Brat era called The Moment, which was released two weeks before Wuthering Heights. However, clearly, that did not get in the way of saying yes to other projects. And now we have both The Moment and stellar music inspired by (and used in) Wuthering Heights.
Overall, Wuthering Heights got mixed reviews; however, I’m very here for the unique vision Emerald Fennell had for it. The inclusion of pop music and the details in her sets, costumes and more made for a stunning set for this epic story. And if you'd like to see it for yourself, it's in theaters right now.
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