Charli XCX has had a hand in penning radio bangers like Icona Pop’s "I Love It," Iggy Azalea’s "Fancy," and of course, her own "Boom Clap." And sure, we're all well aware that "Fancy" became the *official* song of the summer of 2014, but what's next for Charli? Well, for one, she's got a highly anticipated new album coming out. Sucker is slated to drop October 21, which is only a couple of weeks away. Oh, and she's the cover girl for Complex’s October/November issue.

The spread for Complex features photography by Timothy Saccenti, styling by Patric Dicaprio, and hair and makeup by Korey Fitzpatrick and Colby Smith respectively. All of which lead to a dreamy, Cali vibe by way of Gregg Araki.

Charli XCX's kitted out with kimonos from Pearl River Mart, vintage shoes, and an outfit from American Apparel that wouldn't be amiss in Cher Horowitz's closet.

But the interview is where we really get to the good stuff. Charli discusses her journey from aspirational songwriter to pop star, the trappings of pop stardom, and the machinations behind the big wigs at music labels. She also discusses why constant comparisons are made between her and other female pop performers, and how damaging that is.

Our favorite take-away, though? Charli teases the possibility of having period-themed merch at her shows: “I’m kind of obsessed with it right now. Periods are really punk. I want to have tampons as merch that say ‘PERIODS ARE PUNK.’”

She goes on describing to Complex a handful of "punk" tracks she has stored away, explaining that if she ever toured them, she'd call the band "the Tampon Girls." If you just heard brakes screeching off in the distance, it's probably because pop stars don't normally talk about their bodies in such a frank way. And TBH, it's refreshing, hearing a young woman owning such a powerful part of herself. Now *that's* punk rock. BRB, buying a million tampon brooches.

To read the interview in full, head over to Complex.