Charli XCX has revealed the first of what is expected to be numerous original songs for Emerald Fennell’s upcoming Wuthering Heights film. Titled “House,” the track is a collaboration with John Cale, the co-founder of The Velvet Underground and a renowned composer. The accompanying music video was directed by Mitch Ryan, who previously directed Charli XCX’s late-release “Party 4 U” music video earlier this year. Watch the video below.
In a note posted on X last week, Charli XCX shared the story behind the song. She explained, “A few years ago, I watched Todd Haynes’ documentary about The Velvet Underground. As many of you know, I’m a huge fan of the band, and I was really struck by the film. One thing that stuck with me was how John Cale described a key sonic element of The Velvet Underground’s sound—that a song needed to be both ‘elegant and brutal.’” She continued, “After summer ended, I kept thinking about John’s words. I decided to reach out to him to get his opinion on the songs that his phrase had inspired, and to see if he might want to collaborate. I sent him some songs, and we started discussing ‘House’ in particular. We talked about the idea of a poem. He recorded something and sent it to me—something only John could do. And it was… well, it made me cry.” Scroll down to read her full message.
Since releasing her album Brat last year, Charli XCX has been involved in various film projects. She also served as both host and musical guest on a recent episode of Saturday Night Live. Meanwhile, John Cale released his latest studio album, Poptical Illusion, in 2024.
The film Wuthering Heights is set to premiere in theaters on Saturday, February 14, 2026. Directed by Emerald Fennell, the adaptation features Margot Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff. The score is composed by Anthony Willis, who also scored Fennell’s previous films, Promising Young Woman (2020) and Saltburn (2023).
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