Pop star Charli XCX addressed criticism surrounding her attendance at a Berlin afterparty potentially linked to the Russian government, stating she and her team were unaware of any alleged affiliations. The singer posted a message to her Instagram Story on Thursday, February 19, affirming her support for Ukraine and condemning the actions of the Russian government.
The controversy arose after United24 Media reported that the afterparty, held following the international premiere of XCX’s mockumentary, The Moment, at the Berlinale Film Festival on February 14, was hosted by Russian model and DJ Anastasia Shevtsova. The outlet reported Shevtsova is the daughter of Zhanna Shevtsova, president of the Russian government-funded Traditsiya Foundation, which promotes Russian culture.
The Russian government launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, continuing to seize territory and causing widespread death and displacement. Anastasia Shevtsova responded to the reports with a statement of her own on Instagram, denying any connection to the conflict. She noted that family members reside in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, and that she has lived and worked in Europe for the past four years. She expressed her personal distress over the situation, stating she would “never wish harm, violence, or suffering upon anyone.”
The Moment, directed by Aidan Zamiri, features Charli XCX playing an exaggerated version of herself as she navigates the increased attention following her Brat album. The film premiered in U.S. Theaters on January 30 and its release coincided with the release of a companion album for Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, released February 13.
During the Berlinale premiere, Charli XCX described The Moment as the final chapter in her “Brat” era, according to Variety. “It feels like a sort of long overdue full stop in the world of Brat,” she said. “I reckon we knew that going into it and that was part of the interest in making it. So for me, yes, I do perceive ready to embark on a new journey. But I don’t know what that is, so yeah. I’m kind of open to ideas.”
As of Friday, February 20, A24, the distributor of The Moment, has not issued a statement regarding the controversy surrounding the Berlin afterparty.
