Charli XCX faces backlash over Berlin afterparty controversy

Charli XCX has spoken out after criticism over an afterparty for her film The Moment at the Berlin International Film Festival.

The 33-year-old singer said that she didn’t know the party organiser had any connections to the Russian government.

The party was hosted by model and DJ Anastasia Shevtsova, also called Petit.

Some reports, however, said that her family has connections to Russian groups and this caused fans and some Ukrainian cultural figures to criticise Charli online.

The 360 singer wrote on her official Instagram that neither she nor her team knew about any of these connections before the party.

She also said that she is “against the atrocities committed by the Russian government in Ukraine” and supports the Ukrainian people.

Shevtsova responded too, saying that she is not involved in politics and that her family lives in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, adding that the war affects them personally.

The Moment, a mockumentary directed by Aidan Zamiri, stars Charli as version of herself.

The film makes fun of celebrity life and marks a new phase in her career.

The controversy, moreover, sparked massive buzz online about how artists should be careful about who they get in contact with especially during global conflicts.