When Charli XCX unveiled Brat, it wasn't just an album, it was a cultural reset. And while we can undoubtedly all agree that a large part of the record's success (Grammys, Billboards, BRITs, to name a few) comes down to Charli's enigmatic star power, there's another creative talent at work behind the scenes. Meet Terry O'Connor, the photographer-turned-creative-director turning the music industry on its head.
While O'Connor's best-known collaborator (and IRL best friend) is Charli XCX, he's also been attached to a string of other incredible artists, from Noah Cyrus to Caroline Polachek. Most recently, he masterminded the creative for HAIM's comeback single ‘Relationships’ – from the newly-divorced-Nicole-Kidman-inspired cover photo, to the upcoming retro-chic music video (featuring a cameo from none other than Drew Starkey, much to our delight).
View this post on Instagram
His longest conspirator remains Charli XCX, with their creative collaboration stretching long before Brat was even an idea. O'Connor refuses to define his role in bringing the record to life, telling Elite Daily, “Some people call me a nepo friend. Some people say I’m her creative director, but I’m not,” he says. “I would say I’m like a marketing director, but with a strong focus on social media.” He has, however, offered insight into exactly just how involved he was in Brat's success, commemorating the album's release on Instagram by writing: "[This is] the culmination of almost two years of endless texting, voice notes, calls and FaceTimes at all hours. Planning every detail, discussing every moment/sentence/image/video... Ideating, pivoting, changing, and rebuilding. With the best team and best friends."
And while O'Connor typically remains behind the scenes when it comes to his musical work, you might recognise him from the internet. For one, his long-time partner is Benito Skinner (or BennyDrama7), co-host of the hugely successful podcast Ride, and creator and star of the upcoming Amazon series, Overcompensating.
View this post on Instagram
Long before either of these exploits came to fruition, Skinner had cultivated a loyal online following for his hilarious skits, many of which he enlists O'Connor (and sometimes even O'Connor's mum) to star in. In recent months, O'Connor has begun forging his own online presence, delivering dead pan but hilarious 'Cultural Digests', in which he recaps the goings on in pop culture (and occasionally politics) from the week just gone.
View this post on Instagram
As for what's next? We'd hazard O'Connor will play a part in the rollout for Overcompensating, given Charli XCX not only guest stars in the series, but also produced the music for the series. Watch this space...
