Claire Cottrill, better known as Clairo, has been famous since she was 19, when she uploaded her dreamy pop song “Pretty Girl” to YouTube and the video unexpectedly went viral. After dropping out of college to tour with Dua Lipa, Clairo released three hit albums—Immunity, Sling, and Charm—her sound maturing from lo-fi indie pop to folk pop to soft indie rock. Now 28, and two years out from her last album, she’s quietly been making new music. Plus, she’s been performing—often with collaborators such as Charli xcx. Before Charli brought Clairo onstage at her July show in Brooklyn, the two caught up about making music, working with friends, and the importance of devoting yourself to your art.
Charli xcx: How are you today?
Clairo: I’m good. We’re sitting backstage at your New York show.
Let’s talk about friendship. Do you still have friends in your life who you’ve known since you were very young?
I do. My sister is my number one, of course. I grew up in a neighborhood in Atlanta with a bunch of kids, and we all reconnected over Covid. My parents moved back, so we all got to come together again.
Do you feel like they know a different version of you?
Yeah. I wonder who I was as a 4-year-old. Was I annoying or loud?
Do you think you were an annoying kid?
I babbled a lot. I was really talkative. My parents were concerned about me because I was babbling so much before I could speak. They took me to the doctor, but I was fine. I just had a lot to say.
Clairo wears Polo Ralph Lauren tops.
In your friend group, are you still considered the talker?
When I’m comfortable, I do talk quite a bit. I have friends who talk a lot, so I realized that maybe I actually don’t talk that much.
I’m more of a yapper than you are.
Yeah, but I like it.
How did we first meet?
We met through [music producer] Rostam Batmanglij in 2019, in L.A. I came to a house you were working at. I remember being really starstruck.
Oh, shut up. I was starstruck by you. We had rented a house in Glendale, and I was doing a lot of sessions for my album Charli. You came through on a day when there were a lot of people. We couldn’t catch a vibe on a track—we couldn’t figure it out. I remember being like, “Oh, no, Clairo thinks I suck.”
No! I was so nervous. When you were like, “Yeah, I’m a little burnt. Maybe we just try another day,” I was so relieved because I was like, I’m so scared right now. I’d never really been in a session that exciting before.
Valentino top and skirt; Valentino Garavani belt, tights, and shoes; stylist’s own cap.
I was very nervous too, so we were in it together. Do you feel like your friendships blossom when you’re working intensely on a record with someone?
Yeah, definitely. You’re going through this life-changing thing together. I want an album to feel life-changing; I don’t want to just clock in and out. I don’t feel like you’re going to get something transformative if you’re just treating it like business. So friendship is massively important in making it happen.
Do those friendships expand outside of the studio? Is that valuable to the songwriting process? Because it is definitely for me—going out and exploring the world with my collaborators.
Completely, especially if you already feel really seen by them. If you pick up something from a new place or environment and you’re like, “Oh, that thing is really amazing,” they already know what part of it was amazing to you. You don’t have to translate your thoughts into some other language. You’re on the same wave all the time, and it’s so nice. If you make music really well with people, then you’re going to be friends.
One hundred percent. I agree.
My engineer said that making music is like cooking. If you’re good at making music, then you’re probably good at cooking.
Well, I suck at cooking, so maybe that means I suck at music.
I’m not good either! I’m just throwing that out there.
Are you making music currently?
Um…yes.
Do you want to talk about that?
I feel like no.
McQueen shirt and skirt.
Is there somebody you have a really great friendship with who you would like to make music with?
You and I haven’t made an actual song.
The song we made, “February 2017,” is odd. It was pieced together over time—we haven’t, like, gotten in a room and made a song together. We’ve never performed “February 2017,” but we’ve performed one of your songs, “Sofia.”
You’re the only person who can make me perform that song.
If you just did an hour of performing that song over and over again, I would love that. That would be your hell, but my heaven.
It’s so funny how much you love that one. I’m learning to love it again. When we performed it in Australia, I was like, Damn, people actually know this song.
Gucci jacket and skirt; Clairo’s own shoes; stylist’s own bunny ears.
What are you talking about? That is the most stupid thing you’ve ever said! “Oh, people actually know this song.” This is a huge song! What are you thinking?
Maybe because I don’t listen to it, it’s not in my world.
Okay, but people really like that song. I would say that’s one of your most popular songs.
No, it is. I haven’t performed it in a long time.
Don’t you have a side project with Beabadoobee?
We’ve known each other since we were, like, babies. We’d never made music. It’s me, Bea [Laus], and her bassist, Eliana [Sewell]. It’s called the Pussy Slammers.
For your younger fans, especially fans who want to get into something creative, do you have any advice?
There are no dos or don’ts. When I’m 100 percent committed or devoted to something, I’m the happiest and most fulfilled. Devotion is just really key. When you fully devote yourself to music and writing, it always ends up being way better than it could have been if you’re scared or unsure.
Hair by Miyuki Goto; makeup by Michaela Bosch for Made at MA+ Group; manicure by Mei Kawajiri at Red-Represents. Set design by Peter Klein at 11th House Agency.
Lighting Technician: William Takahashi; Photo Assistants: Frida Fitter, David Jaffe; Stylist’s Assistant: Grace Bot; Set Assistant: Nick Kozmin; Tailor: Lindsay Wright; Production Assistant: Emlyn Mileaf-Patel.
