Your favourite new girl group XO have unleashed their latest single ‘Real Friends’ — a slick, swaggering slice of electro-pop co-written by Charli XCX. The track marks the quintet’s boldest release yet, fusing punchy beats with an unapologetic message about loyalty, independence, and staying true to your squad.
The five-piece — made up of Emmy, Reanna, Shali, Summer and Zoe — first made waves earlier this year with their high-energy debut, and ‘Real Friends’ cements their place among pop’s most exciting new voices. Produced by John Ryan (Sabrina Carpenter, One Direction, Rita Ora) and Mattias Larsson (Britney Spears, Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift), the track carries Charli’s signature edge — shimmering synths, sharp hooks, and a rebellious streak that turns vulnerability into power.
“I’ve got something you can’t understand…” the girls tease with an undisputed sense of confidence and sass across the top of Ryan’s pulsating production, before concluding: “I’ve got friends, real friends, got my back until the bitter end.”
Charli XCX’s involvement adds another layer of star power, bringing her pop-avant sensibilities to XO’s distinctly British sound. The group also contributed to the writing, grounding the song in their own experiences of friendship, female solidarity, and self-discovery.
XO — Real Friends (Official Music Video)
On just their second release, the XO buzz is building fast! Their debut single ‘Lovesick’ earned early backing from BBC Radio 1, BBC Introducing…, and even landed them their first-ever TV performance on Saturday Mash-Up! — where they tore through fan-favourite ‘Ponytail’.
Now, the girls are earning their stripes the old-fashioned way: hitting schools across the UK on an ambitious tour that’s turning classrooms into mini pop arenas. With infectious bangers and an empowering message at their core, XO are quickly building a fiercely loyal following — one song, one performance, one singalong at a time.
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