If you were on Tumblr in 2013, you know.
The flower crowns. The grainy filters. The absolute chokehold that Marina Diamandis—then Marina and the Diamonds—and Charli XCX had on a specific corner of the internet. They were the architects of an alt-pop blueprint that everyone from Billie Eilish to Olivia Rodrigo eventually moved into. But then, it all went quiet. Or rather, it went loud, then awkward, then silent for nearly a decade.
Honestly, the Marina and Charli XCX saga is a masterclass in how the music industry pits women against each other, even when they’re trying to be friends. It’s about lemons, photo shoots, and a very specific "Girl, so confusing" energy that defined a whole generation of pop fans.
That Froot Looks Familiar: How It All Went Down
The "feud" started with a tweet. It’s always a tweet, isn't it?
Back in 2016, Charli did a photoshoot that featured a lot of bright, tropical colors and fruit. Marina, who was fresh off her Froot era—an album literally centered around that aesthetic—tweeted: "Imagery is artistic property. Please respect your fellow artists."
Yikes.
She didn't name names, but she didn't have to. Fans immediately connected the dots. Charli, who was only about 23 at the time, felt blindsided. She responded on Instagram, explaining that it was the same photographer who had worked on Marina’s campaign. Essentially, it was a creative overlap by a third party, not a case of identity theft.
The fallout was weirdly personal
Charli eventually opened up about this on her private Instagram (and later in interviews), saying she actually looked up to Marina as a mentor. Imagine your idol publicly calling you a copycat over some lemons. It stung.
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For years, the two just... didn't exist in the same space. They stopped following each other. The collab we all wanted—a follow-up to their 2013 "Just Desserts"—felt like a pipe dream. Marina leaned into a more introspective, stripped-back sound with Love + Fear, while Charli became the face of hyperpop with Pop 2 and Charli.
Their paths diverged so sharply that it felt like they were living in different universes. One was the "ancient" Tumblr queen finding peace in nature; the other was a 365-party-girl redefine-the-club icon.
The "Girl, So Confusing" Turning Point
Fast forward to June 2024. The world is turning neon green. Brat is everywhere.
Charli releases "Girl, so confusing," a track about the agonizing, awkward tension of wanting to be friends with another woman but feeling like there’s a wall between you. Everyone thought it was about Lorde. And it was—the remix proved that. But the song’s themes hit Marina hard, too.
Marina posted a screenshot of the song, saying it made her cry. She called it "courageous" and "human."
"This is beautiful. Just cried listening to it. It's so courageous and human to make work about this topic and it's so healing to listen to it. Congratulations on an iconic album."
Charli’s response? "Aww marina!! tumblr girls rise!"
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It was a small interaction, but for the fans who had been tracking the silence since 2016, it was seismic. It was the first public confirmation that the "froot" beef was officially buried in the compost bin of history.
Why the Marina and Charli XCX Connection Still Matters in 2026
You might wonder why we're still talking about two artists who had a spat over a citrus-themed photoshoot ten years ago. It's because their careers represent the two different ways "alternative" pop stars can survive the meat grinder of the 2010s.
Marina chose the path of the "cult classic." She’s spoken openly about not wanting to be a global superstar. She likes her dedicated "Diamonds," her poetry, and her privacy. On the other hand, Charli fought her way from the underground to become the dominant cultural force of 2024 and 2025.
The power of "Working it out on the remix"
While Marina didn't appear on the official Brat remix album (though fans were practically begging for a "Girl, so confusing" version featuring her), her vocal support of the project changed the narrative. It moved from "Marina is bitter about Charli’s success" to "Marina is the blueprint that Charli is now perfecting."
In a 2025 interview with Rolling Stone, Marina reiterated that she has nothing but love for what Charli has achieved. She noted that seeing people respond to their reconciliation was "sweet," acknowledging that these moments of female solidarity are more important than keeping up old guards.
What Most People Get Wrong About Their "Beef"
A lot of people think they hated each other. They didn't.
If you look at the 2013 footage of them touring together—specifically the "Lonely Hearts Club" tour—you see two girls who were genuinely having fun. They were the underdogs. They were the ones the "mainstream" didn't quite get yet.
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The tension wasn't hatred; it was the pressure of the industry. In the 2010s, there was only room for one "edgy British girl" at a time. If you weren't the one on top, you were supposedly "copying" the one who was.
Marina and Charli XCX were both victims of that logic.
Today, the landscape is different. We have room for 50 different "edgy girls" with 50 different aesthetics. The fact that they can now congratulate each other without feeling like their own "brand" is being diluted is a huge win for pop culture.
Where they stand now
- Social Media: They follow each other again.
- The Music: Marina has been teasing new material, rumored to be titled Princess of Power, while Charli is firmly in her "The Moment" era.
- The Relationship: It’s less "best friends" and more "respected peers who survived the same war."
Actionable Insights for Fans and Creators
If you’re a fan of either artist—or a creator yourself—there are a few things to take away from the decade-long cold war between Marina and Charli.
- Verify Before You Blast: Much of the 2016 drama could have been avoided if Marina had texted Charli instead of tweeting. If you see someone "copying" your work, check the source. It’s often a shared collaborator or a coincidence.
- Growth Isn't Linear: It took eight years for them to find their way back to a friendly place. That's okay. Sometimes you need a decade of space to realize that the thing you were mad about (lemons!) was actually pretty silly.
- Collaboration Over Competition: The "Brat" era showed that bringing people into your world (like the Lorde remix) is much more powerful than keeping them out.
The story of Marina and Charli XCX is ultimately a happy one. It's a reminder that even in the hyper-competitive world of celebrity, you can always work it out on the remix—even if that remix is just a nice tweet and a follow back.
To keep up with their latest moves, keep an eye on Marina’s upcoming tour dates for 2026, as there are heavy rumors of guest appearances that might finally give us that "Just Desserts" live moment we’ve been waiting for since 2013.