Charli XCX Explains Why She Doesn't Want Kids

Charli XCX’s thoughts on motherhood seem to have changed a bit since releasing Brat. On that album’s most personal track, “I Think About It All the Time,” Charli admits that she has started seriously considering having a baby after having settled down with her partner George Daniel. But more recently, it hasn’t been top of mind.

The pop star opened up about no longer wanting to be a mother during her Feb. 2 appearance on the SmartLess podcast, hosted by Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes. After learning Charli is an only child, Bateman asked if not having siblings affects how many children Charli wants to have one day.

“I actually don’t really want to have kids,” Charli responded. When the podcast hosts expressed their surprise at the remark, Charli relented, “You know, that could change.” But she went on to explain why she doesn’t believe she’s ready to raise a child. “I love the fantasy of having a child, like naming it sounds so fun,” she said. “But that is exactly a sign to me of why I should not have one. The fact that that feels like the coolest part about it; maybe I’m not ready, you know?”

This led to an awkward exchange where Bateman suggested that Charli just hadn’t met the right person to start a family with yet. “All that could change,” Bateman replied. “My wife did not want to have kids — so the story goes, so she tells. And she said once we started going out, she was like, ‘OK, I think I can have a kid with this guy.’ So you might find somebody.”

Clearly, Batemen was unaware that Charli recently married Daniel. “Well, I’m married, so,” Charli said.

To cut the tension, Charli quipped: “It’s OK. I knew immediately where you were going to go, and I knew my response, I was looking forward to it.”

Bateman recovered by cracking a joke. “Your next husband you’re going to want kids with,” he said.