Pop music surrounds us, but how often do we really listen to what we’re hearing? Switched on Pop is the podcast that pulls back the curtain on pop music. Each episode, join musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding as they reveal the secret formulas that make pop songs so infectious. By figuring out how pop hits work their magic, you’ll fall in love with songs you didn’t even know you liked.

The pace of new music production these days is dizzying. Sometimes it’s like watching someone do a magic trick - we *swear* those songs weren’t there a second ago! But then, there they are, popping up in batches right out of thin air.

Of course, behind each of those individual releases sits months of decision-making by each artist: who to collaborate with and when, how to structure the musical product of that collaboration, what to call it, how to release it, when, and on what platform. The list is long, and each of those choices has a big impact on how we hear the song.

The Verge’s Dani Deahl recently sat down with reigning Princess of Pop, Charli XCX, to discuss how she personally approaches those decisions, and how that approach is bucking long-established norms in popular music.

In this special bonus episode of Switched on Pop, Dani rings up Charlie (not XCX) to recap that conversation and put Charli (XCX)’s artistry in context. Via Dani, we learn that for Charli—collaboration is more than just an artistic choice; and release strategy is much more than a major label playbook. There’s a total freedom in the way Charli releases music, and we love it.

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