Rachel Chinouriri Talks Madonna, Charli XCX, Falling in Love

Rachel Chinouriri only recently started penning love songs that capture emotions as intense as the ones that show up across her debut album What a Devastating Turn of Events. Her latest EP, Little House, is full of them, from “Can We Talk About Isaac?” and “Indigo” to “What a Life.” But Chinouriri is a champion of finding love everywhere it might exist, whether in relationships or in her music library.

On the latest installment of Rolling Stone‘s Song Shuffle, the British singer-songwriter finds love in Madonna’s “Hung Up.” “This is the best song on the planet,” Chinoririri says backstage at All Things Go in New York City. “I’m actually not joking. This is my favorite song ever.” There’s a layer of self-love to the record, too. “Madonna makes me feel fearless,” she adds. “She honestly did not give a fuck about what anyone thought back then. Whenever I am a little bit fearful about what people think I’m like, if Madonna can do it, I can do it. She walked so that so many of us could run.”

Chinoiriri praises Madonna’s iconic name, a compliment she also extends to Two Door Cinema Club when their indie rock hit “What You Know” appears in her playlist shuffle. “I think being classic is very chic, and being classically British,” she says. “The UK was rocking with this song quite a lot, to be honest, and it just reminds me of home.”

Charli XCX’s “Von Dutch,” another chance shuffle pick from Chinouriri’s library, knows all about classics. Brat arrived just a year too late for Chinouriri to really live that life — she was sober during Brat Summer — but she can imagine the “chaos” that would have ensued if it’d happened earlier. Luckily, she still had a chance to fall in love again and again.

“I’m in a romantic mood,” Chinouriri says, noting that her favorite Brat track at the moment is the Caroline Polachek remix of “Everything is Romantic.” For anyone who isn’t on the same wave, she has a bit of advice for navigating love. “Don’t let love blind you from common sense,” Chinouriri says. “Just remember sense over everything. Love yourself more than your partner, and if it doesn’t work out, don’t be like, ‘Oh, no one can love me.’ Girl, there’s 8 billion people out here.”

That sea of people also includes a number of artists Chinouriri would love to collaborate with or share a tour billing with. “I would love to have a song with PinkPantheress,” she notes. It’s a moment of manifesting, with their new collaboration “Romeo” arriving today. Chinouriri also puts into the universe that she would love to join Olivia Dean on tour. “She’s iconic,” she says. “The tour is going to be fantastic.” She’d even be down to work with Gotye, whose classic “Somebody That I Used to Know” accidentally plays from her phone as she’s raving about Dean.

And if anyone is in need of recommendations for their own playlists, Chinouriri has some suggestions: “What a Life” by Rachel Chinouriri, “All I Ever Asked” by Rachel Chinouriri, “Never Need Me” by Rachel Chinouriri, “So My Darling” by Rachel Chinouriri, “Garden of Eden” by Rachel Chinouriri, and “The Hills” by Rachel Chinouriri.”

“I think she’s wicked,” Chinouriri says. “I need to go more into her discography a little bit. I saw a picture of her, she’s stunning. I’d love to meet her one day. Rachel, call me.”