Charli XCX Threw a 'Party 4 u' to Analyze

Photo: HBO Jay Gatsby and Charli XCX have something in common. Gatsby would throw extravagant parties, hoping that Daisy Buchanan would show up; Charli would throw ragers, hoping poppers would show up, hoping her muse would come to her, like in her 2020 song "Party 4 u," which regained popularity after her Coachella headline set. TikTok has turned into a high school English class where everyone is trying to dissect the lyrics to "Party 4 u," finding examples from pop culture that evoke that heartbreaking feeling of putting yourself out there to be met with failure. Or in pop terms: . . .