British singer-songwriter Charli XCX broke out in a big way in 2014, co-writing and appearing on Iggy Azalea’s ‘Fancy’ and notching her first-ever Top 10 as a solo artist, ‘Boom Clap.’ Born Charlotte Emma Aitchison in 1992, she first began writing songs and recording an album when she was just 14. Mixtapes, remixes and writing songs for others followed, as did debut EP ‘You’re the One’ in 2012. That same year, she co-wrote and guested on Icona Pop’s catchy ‘I Love It.’ It wasn’t until 2013 that she dropped her debut major-label album, ‘True Romance.’ In 2014, ‘Fancy’ stayed at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven straight weeks. Her first solo Top 10 hit, ‘Boom Clap,’ appears on both the ‘Fault in Our Stars’ soundtrack and her sophomore album, ‘Sucker.’
Selected discography: ‘You’re the One’ EP (2012), ‘True Romance’ (2013), ‘Sucker’ (2014)
Related artists: Iggy Azalea, Icona Pop, Rita Ora
Further reading: Watch Charli XCX’s ‘Breaking Up’ Video, Charli XCX Performs ‘Fancy’ Solo, Charli XCX’s Surprising Remarks on the Music Industry