Claws

## **Claws** by Charli XCX

* Spotify
* Apple Music
* Tidal/Youtube Music

## Music video

**Claws (stylized as "claws" and originally titled "I like")** is a single by Charli XCX and 3rd track from her fourth studio album How I'm Feeling Now. The song was released on April 23rd, 2020, produced by Dylan Brady.

## Background

On April 9th Charli posted lyrics of the song on Twitter. She first played the song on April 10th along with Enemy, 7 Years, and Detonate on Instagram Live. She then asked what of the four songs should be released as the next single after Forever, and Claws won.

Charli posted four pictures of herself and asked what of those four should be the single cover, and the second picture ended up winning. She then asked how she should name the song, either "claws", "i like", "i like everything about you" or "clementines",, and then she confirmed that the title will be Claws.

She originally wanted to release the track on April 24th but ended up preponing the song to April 23rd. The song was released along with three single covers per streaming service, by Timothy Luke, Han Seung Hee, and Sara Cwynar.

On April 27th Charli officially released Claws' stems.

## Theme

The track is inspired by electro-pop sounds inspired by glitch and trance music, a common experimental sound on Dylan Brady's catalog. Lyrically, Charli seems to be singing about her love with her current boyfriend Huck Kwong, whom she is isolating with because of the COVID-19 pandemic, mostly with a positive perspective.

On May 14th, Charli said for Apple Music: *“My romantic life has had a full rebirth. As soon as I heard the track—which is by [New York artist, songwriter, and producer] Dylan Brady—I knew it needed to be this joyous, carefree honeymoon-period song. When you’re just so fascinated and adoring someone, everything feels like this huge rush of emotion—almost like you’re in a movie. I think it’s been nice for my boyfriend to see that I can write positive and happy songs about us. Because the majority of the songs in the past have been sad, heartbreaking ones. It’s also really made him understand my level of work addiction and the stress I can put myself under.”*

## Leak History

* November 7th, 2021 - Demo leaks online.

## Critical Reception

The reception of the song was mostly very positive. Idolator called the song "A blissful and flawless bop". The Rolling Stone called it an "Electro-Pop stunner".  The Fader said it sounded like "getting sucked into a modem and spat back out in a brightly colored cartoon."

## Music Video

On April 22nd, Charli confirmed on her third video update that there will be a music video for the song coming soon and that she's using a green screen.

On April 24th she went to record the music video with Bradley & Pablo (who are neighbors). On May 1st, Charli finally dropped the music video for Claws.

The music video presents Charli dancing on a green screen with different FX effects, mostly themed with dystopic, phosphorescent, and psychedelic aesthetics, there are also scenes where Charli appears as a 3D rendered humanoid creature, most likely to be a robot. There are also scenes of Charli driving a scooter outside her house, the video ends with two 3D rendered people kissing that end up showing as her and her boyfriend kissing.

## Lyrics

[Intro]

I like-I like-I like, I like

I like-I like-I like, I like-Ilike, I like

I like-I like-I like

[Verse 1]

Like your mind, like your smile

Like your eyes, I could die

Aeroplane, you answer by

Singin' songs by Jeremih

Party time, hop inside

We're so high, rollercoaster ride

Diamond bright, kiss me right, yeah

That's so nice (Yeah)

[Chorus]

I like-I like-I like-I like-I like everything about you

I like-I like-I like-I like-I like everything about you

I like-I like-I like-I like-I like everything about you

I like-I like-I like-I like-I like everything about you

[Post-Chorus]

So, don't you want me back?

'Cause I know, when I known, I don't wanna be alone

Don't you want me back?

'Cause I know when I know I wanna go

[Verse 2]

I'm not shy, make you sigh

Slip and slide up my thighs

Juicy just like clementines

Sorry if I make you cry

Party time, hop inside

We're so high, rollercoaster ride

Gemini, switching sides

Yeah, that's so nice (Ooh)

[Chorus]

I like-I like-I like-I like-I like everything about you

I like-I like-I like-I like-I like everything about you

I like-I like-I like-I like-I like everything about you

I like-I like-I like-I like-I like everything about you

[Post-Chorus]

So, don't you want me back?

'Cause I know, when I known, I don't wanna be alone

Don't you want me back?

'Cause I know when I know I wanna go

[Bridge]

I-I-I-I-I-I think about you

I-I-I-I-I like everything about you

Everything about you

Every (Yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah)

[Outro]

Everything about you (Everything about you)

Everything about you, every (Everything about you)

Everything

## Trivia

* Troye Sivan was who recommended the title "Clementines" , when Charli confirmed that the title will be "Claws", he replied with "fuck u too".
* On the music video, there's a scene where Charli's head is on a white stand with pink slime dripping off of it. This same stand was used on the Number 1 Angel photo shoot on 2017.

## References

1. ↑ https://twitter.com/charli\_xcx/status/1248115289805340672
2. ↑ https://twitter.com/charli\_xcx/status/1248768934225969153
3. ↑ https://twitter.com/charli\_xcx/status/1248769140191408128
4. ↑ https://twitter.com/charli\_xcx/status/1249066384278970368
5. ↑ https://twitter.com/charli\_xcx/status/1249834442849312768
6. ↑ https://twitter.com/charli\_xcx/status/1249864906666463232
7. ↑ https://twitter.com/charli\_xcx/status/1254909937055969280
8. ↑ https://we.tl/t-BMMPs9FdUW
9. ↑ https://www.idolator.com/7909717/charli-xcxs-quarantine-lp-takes-shape-with-claws?chrome=1
10. ↑ https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/charli-xcx-claws-single-988953/
11. ↑ https://www.thefader.com/2020/04/23/charli-xcx-new-song-claws-how-im-feeling-now
12. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw1VbBub5wI&t=149s
13. ↑ https://twitter.com/FckyeahCharli/status/1253807972716875776
14. ↑ https://twitter.com/troyesivan/status/1248122084859023362
15. ↑ https://twitter.com/troyesivan/status/1249872644305866753