If there’s one artist who has spent the last few years proving that pop music and high art aren’t mutually exclusive, it’s Charli XCX. And now, the “365” hitmaker has added another serious accolade to her ever-growing collection: a nomination at the 2026 World Soundtrack Awards.

That’s right. The queen of hyperpop is officially in the running for Best Original Song for her track “House,” which she co-wrote with none other than Velvet Underground legend John Cale, alongside Nathan Klein and Finn Keane. The song is part of the full soundtrack she crafted for Emerald Fennell’s gothic film adaptation of Wuthering Heights—a film that already had us all in a chokehold back when it dropped in February.

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The Competition Is No Joke

Let’s be real: the Best Original Song category is stacked. Charli is going up against:

• “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters (which actually won the Oscar for Best Original Song earlier this year, no big deal)
• “No Place Like Home” from Wicked: For Good
• “Stolen Tale” from Hedda
• “Train Dreams” from Train Dreams (also an Oscar nominee)

So yeah, Charli isn’t exactly walking into an easy win. But if anyone can hold her own against Oscar-winning heavyweights, it’s the woman who turned “I’m so Julia” into a cultural reset.

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The Nominees List Is Actually Insane

The first wave of nominees for the 26th edition of the awards is a who’s who of film and television composing royalty.

Film Composer of the Year nominees include:

• Alexandre Desplat (two-time Oscar winner, because of course)
• Hildur Guðnadóttir (Academy Award winner for Joker, and just generally brilliant)
• Jonny Greenwood (because Radiohead guys make incredible scores, obviously)
• Daniel Pemberton (he’s been everywhere lately)
• Max Richter (Hamnet, and basically every emotionally devastating piece of music ever)

And in the Television Composer of the Year category, we’ve got Finneas O’Connell (yes, Billie Eilish’s brother and creative partner) for season two of Beef, alongside David Fleming, Martin Phipps, Dave Porter, and Jeff Russo.

A second wave of nominations—covering Discovery of the Year and the Public Choice Award—will be announced on September 3, so keep your eyes peeled.

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Mark Your Calendars

The 2026 World Soundtrack Awards Ceremony & Concert is set for Saturday, October 10, at the Music Centre De Bijloke in Ghent, Belgium, as part of Film Fest Gent. If you’re in the area—or just need an excuse to book a trip to Belgium—this is the event to catch.

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It’s Been a Massive Year for Charli

This nomination is just the latest win for Charli, who dropped her latest album, Music, Fashion, Film, just last week. And with the World Soundtrack nod already in the bag, the rumor mill is already spinning about whether she could land an Oscar nomination when the nods are announced on January 21, 2027.

For now, though, let’s just take a moment to appreciate that Charli XCX—yes, the same woman who gave us “Vroom Vroom” and “Boys”—is now a World Soundtrack Award nominee.

Icon behavior, honestly.