Charli xcx Goes Back to Her Essex Roots in “Wink Wink” BTS Mockumentary

Charli xcx has ditched her brat-era moto boots for stilettos. She’s swapped her waistlength waves for a glossy blowout. But no matter the era, she is still a young girl from Essex.

Fresh off the release of her latest single, "Wink Wink," on Friday, Charli just dropped a tongue-in-cheek behind-the-scenes mockumentary from the set of its music video on her Instagram. Shot and narrated by Loïc Prigent, the film follows the singer back to the Essex countryside, not far from where she grew up, as she reunites with longtime collaborator and director Aidan Zamiri.

"Charli xcx...in Essex!" Prigent declares in his signature French lilt before Zamiri reflects, "This is actually roughly where Charli grew up, so it feels a little like we are going back to Charli's roots."

Of course, returning home isn't always glamorous. The mockumentary captures Charli trudging through a mud pit in heels, spinning on a playground merry-go-round, and suffering from an allergic reaction as she licks cream off strawberries in a field. "Is Aidan torturing you? You can wink twice," Prigent teases. Charli playfully answers with a flurry of winks.

Like any good Charli xcx production, the short film is packed with familiar faces. Longtime stylist Chris Horan also makes a cameo in the dressing room van, rounding out a delightfully self-aware peek behind one of Charli's cheekiest music videos yet (pun intended).

If nothing else, it's proof that she's willing to quite literally get down and dirty for the sake of art. Watch the full “Wink Wink” mockumentary below.