SS26 (song)

Charli XCX generated some online controveries by releasing the previous single, "Rock Music". Addressing the reaction, she described the song as simultaneously "funny, earnest, sincere, and joyful", later adding that she was "not trying to repel people away or convince people into liking me". During this period, she also released the B-side "I Keep On Thinking Bout You Every Single Day and Night".^{[1][better source needed]} Shortly before the song's release, she shared footage from recording sessions in Paris alongside her collaborators, A.G. Cook and Finn Keane.^[2] Charli teased "SS26" through a post on her Substack, sharing part of the song's lyrics.^[3]

"SS26" was mainly inspired by rock music,^[4] opening with "simple guitar lines" and subdued electronic drum sounds before shifting into a more distorted sound with "subtle, bouncing synths", according to Tom Skinner of NME.^[5] Combining dark themes and dance elements,^[6] it references online backlash and cancel culture through lines such as "I was hacked, it got taken out of context, obviously".^[7]

Prior to the music video's release, Charli livestreamed a 30-minute "Pre Show" on YouTube, where she tried on outfits and highlighted pieces from designers she had recently worn publicly.^[8] The music video for "SS26" was released along with the single's release.^[3] Directed by Torso, the music video depicts Charli walking through Paris fashion runways in a series of designer looks.^[7]