Charli xcx Nominated for Best Original Song at World Soundtrack Awards

Charli xcx is in awards conversation again. The World Soundtrack Awards, presented annually at Film Fest Gent in Belgium, nominated her song "House" from Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights adaptation in the Best Original Song category. The nomination lands as the music world watches to see whether an Oscar nod will follow when the Academy announces its shortlist on January 21.

"House" is a co-write between Charli, John Cale, Nathan Klein, and Finn Keane, and both Charli and Cale perform it in the film. The Wuthering Heights soundtrack already hit No. 1 in the UK and debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Soundtracks chart, so this nomination is momentum stacking on momentum.

Who Charli Is Up Against in Best Original Song

The field is genuinely competitive. "House" is going up against "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters, which actually won the Oscar for Best Original Song back in March. Also in the mix: "Train Dreams" from Train Dreams, written by Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner, which earned its own Oscar nomination; "No Place Like Home" from Wicked: For Good, written by Stephen Schwartz and performed by Cynthia Erivo, which made the Oscar shortlist but did not receive a nomination; and "Stolen Tale" from Hedda, written by Icelandic composer Hildur Gudnadottir and Nia DaCosta.

Gudnadottir is actually double-nominated at the WSA. Beyond Best Original Song, she is also in the running for Film Composer of the Year, where her competition includes Alexandre Desplat (Frankenstein), Jonny Greenwood (One Battle After Another), Max Richter (Hamnet), and Daniel Pemberton (Project Hail Mary). Desplat, Greenwood, and Richter all received Oscar nominations for Best Original Score this past cycle.

On the television side, the Composer of the Year category includes a notable name: Finneas O'Connell, recognized for scoring the second season of Beef.

What the WSA Nomination Means for Charli xcx's Oscar Chances

The World Soundtrack Awards do not predict Oscars in any direct way, but they do signal that film music insiders are paying attention. A nomination here, combined with the chart performance of the Wuthering Heights soundtrack, puts Charli in a real position heading into awards season. The Oscar nomination announcement is not until January 21, which means there is still a long runway.

For context, this is not Charli chasing a legacy moment. The Brat era ran deep into 2024 and early 2025, keeping her on charts globally. Stepping into a Emerald Fennell film and landing a UK No. 1 soundtrack is a natural extension of an artist who has been building cross-format relevance for years. The gothic tone of the Wuthering Heights source material fits the darker, more textured direction Charli has been exploring in her recent work.

The WSA Ceremony and Concert is set for Saturday, October 10, at Music Centre De Bijloke in Ghent, during Film Fest Gent. Winners across all categories, including the public choice award now featuring nominees from five countries, will be announced that night.

For independent artists watching this unfold, the Charli xcx situation is worth studying. Sync licensing and film scoring have become real career levers, not just side income. When a recording artist co-writes a song with a composer like John Cale and lands it on a major studio film, the visibility extends well beyond streams. Awards nominations, chart placements in international markets, and critical recognition from the film score community all compound. If you are an independent artist or producer looking to get music into film and TV, [submit your work](/submit) and keep an eye on where these opportunities are opening up.