In London for The Ivors 2025 where he was presenting an award as well as being there for Charli XCX being a producer behind 'BRAT', Finn Keane tells NME about the secret to the album's success and what Charli will do next
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00:00Good afternoon, Finn. How are you doing?
00:02Yeah, good, thank you. Very good. A little cold, but good.
00:04It is chilly, isn't it?
00:05It is.
00:06Are you having a brat summer in this weather?
00:07Not anymore. I'm over it. I'm over it. No.
00:11Yeah, it's impossible at the moment. But yeah, I'm sure it's coming back around.
00:14But what brings you to the Ivers 2025?
00:16So I'm presenting awards today and also I'm a nominee for Best Album with AG Cook and Charlie XCX.
00:22So privileged to be here, privileged to be nominated. Very excited to be here.
00:26It's been more than a brat summer. It's been a bright year. It must have been pretty overwhelming.
00:30It's been really, really overwhelming. I mean, it's just kept on going.
00:32And I think that's also a testament to Charlie and the way she's done the rollout
00:36and the way she's managed to make things like Coachella and her tour feel all like such exciting events.
00:41So, yeah, it's felt never ending, which is amazing.
00:44And I think, you know, it's a testament to what she can do and how she thinks about an album project
00:51and how kind of holistic she is with it.
00:54And she sort of explores all the different sides of her artistry when putting up an album.
00:58So it's amazing.
00:59And she said that she wants, she thinks her new album will be a flop, her next album.
01:03I saw that, yeah.
01:04What do you think of that?
01:06I don't know. I know what she means.
01:08She's just trying to say that, you know, there's going to be so much pressure on the next album, whatever happens.
01:12And people are so ready in our culture, which is very fun and nice to like sort of hate on things and like turn up.
01:19But I think, you know, she, you know, she, when she was making Brat, it was just trying to make the strongest album possible.
01:25Just following her instincts.
01:26She didn't care if anyone would care, was going to like it.
01:28She wasn't thinking about whether people were going to like it.
01:29She just wanted to make the strongest music.
01:31She wasn't thinking about radio singles.
01:33She was just trying to make the most authentic expression possible of where she was at that time.
01:37And obviously the kind of artist she is, she's just going to do that again.
01:40And I think, yeah, there is a nervous ability that whatever she puts out, people are going to compare it to Brat.
01:44But, you know, it's a good thing to compare it to. It's going to be different.
01:48She's definitely going to pivot.
01:49I don't think she's going to try and ever do the same thing twice.
01:51It's not the kind of artist she is.
01:52So I'm sure it'll be great.
01:54I'll love it. I'll listen to it.
01:55Well, she said she wants to go quite Lou Reed.
01:58Have you had conversations with her about what's next?
02:00We've had lots of conversations.
02:02She's sort of like, yeah, she's got lots of ideas about where it's going to go.
02:05And like, you know, I'm sure she'll work it out.
02:06And she's, you know, she's, uh, she's, she always really considers every decision and every direction very carefully.
02:12So I'm sure she'll, she'll work out and come back with a, with a brilliant project, whatever, however it looks.
02:18Uh, what are you doing next?
02:19Well, I'm actually working, been working with Charlie on this stuff.
02:22We've been sort of making bits and pieces for various, various things, still working out where everything fits,
02:26but just sort of discussing new ideas and work on new bits of music and it feeling very excited and inspired at the moment.
02:33I mean, it's kind of, well, naturally we're going into Brat Summer part two, you know, it lingers.
02:38Charlie really did well to kind of capture the zeitgeist and capture the whole year.
02:42What would your advice be to any other artists that want to achieve something similar?
02:46Well, I think the key thing is, yeah, put out music that you think is great and not that anyone else tells you is good or your label says is good.
02:52I mean, you know, make music that you think is the strongest and the best expression of who you are as an artist.
02:56And then put that out and stick to it and commit to it.
02:59And also, you know, commit to things around the album will make, make the album feel like a world and a thing you can really get behind and get and fans to get into.
03:07I think that's what everyone has to learn from Brat really.
03:10Amazing. Thank you very much. Have a good time. Thank you so much. Cheers.
03:12Cheers.
03:13Cheers.