Charli XCX is addressing concerns raised following her attendance at an afterparty in Berlin celebrating the international premiere of her mockumentary, The Moment. The event has drawn criticism due to the alleged ties of the party’s host, Anastasia Shevtsova, to the Russian government.
The singer-songwriter addressed the controversy on Thursday, , via an Instagram Story, stating, “For clarity, neither me nor my team were aware of any of the alleged affiliations around the party in Berlin.” She continued, expressing her firm stance against the ongoing conflict, “I would like to take this opportunity to say I stand against the atrocities committed by the Russian government in Ukraine and I stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.”
The scrutiny stems from a report by United24 Media, which revealed that Shevtsova, a Russian model and DJ known as Petit, hosted the afterparty following the premiere at the Berlinale Film Festival. The report alleges that Shevtsova is the daughter of Zhanna Shevtsova, president of the Traditsiya Foundation, an organization reportedly funded by the Russian government and involved in cultural projects in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.
The allegations have sparked debate, given the Russian government’s widely condemned full-scale invasion of Ukraine in and its continued occupation of Ukrainian territory. Anastasia Shevtsova herself responded to the reports with an Instagram statement, asserting she has no political connections. She wrote, “My family members live in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine…The current tragedy affects me personally and deeply. I would never wish harm, violence, or suffering upon anyone.” She also noted she has lived and worked in Europe for the past four years.
The Moment, directed by Aidan Zamiri, presents a heightened, satirical version of Charli XCX navigating the complexities of newfound fame following the success of her Brat album. The film premiered in the United States on and its release coincided with the launch of a companion album for Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, released on .
The Berlin premiere of The Moment also served as a symbolic closing chapter for Charli XCX’s “Brat” era. Speaking at the festival, she indicated that this project represents a definitive conclusion to that period in her artistic evolution. “It feels like a sort of long overdue full stop in the world of Brat,” she said, according to Variety. “I think we knew that going into it and that was part of the interest in making it. So for me, yes, I do feel ready to embark on a new journey. But I don’t know what that is, so yeah. I’m kind of open to ideas.”
The situation highlights the increasing scrutiny artists face regarding associations, even indirect ones, in the context of geopolitical conflicts. While Charli XCX and her team maintain they were unaware of the alleged connections, the incident underscores the importance of due diligence when selecting event organizers and partners, particularly in the current global climate. The incident also speaks to the challenges of navigating personal and professional relationships when those relationships intersect with politically sensitive issues.
The response from both Charli XCX and Anastasia Shevtsova suggests a desire to distance themselves from any perceived endorsement of the Russian government’s actions. However, the controversy is likely to continue as the film’s rollout progresses and as the international community remains focused on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The incident serves as a reminder that even seemingly apolitical events can become entangled in broader geopolitical narratives, requiring artists and industry professionals to be increasingly mindful of the potential implications of their choices.
