We’ve been listening to Charli XCX our whole lives without knowing, such as popular 2010s hits: “Boom Clap,” “I love it,” “Fancy”… but why is her fandom only just now taking flight? Why do we only now praise her name?
Because of brat. Released in June, the neon-green album has skyrocketed her career—it’s one of the most listened-to records, her songs are uber-popular TikTok audios, and she’s selling out concerts internationally. Everyone is bleeding neon green.
The songs aren’t crazy different from her older music…what’s new is what they stand for and encourage, in Charli’s words: “You’re that girl who is a bit messy and loves to party and maybe says dumb things sometimes. She’s honest, blunt and a little bit volatile.” Although brat mostly appeals to young adults with an adult-relatable-lifestyle, teens have taken to it by storm, promoting an “it’s not that big of a deal” mindset. Even parents can’t avoid it. This summer, Charli has taken us through a cultural reset and single-handedly brought back the Y2K, indie sleaze era but in a more self-aware, cultivated way. Brat is not just an album: it’s a lifestyle, a personality trait, and an aura. At first, her tracks may seem somewhat confusing, raunchy, or just plain weird—but as you peel back that layer of lime green, you’ll see they’re a mix of high energy tracks and existential ballads: It’s okay to be a little messy and not have it all figured out when everyone around you is “adulting.” There is no rush to the finish line, they say, and your late teens and 20s should be about authenticity, girlhood, and figuring yourself out.
The most iconic and bold thing Charli has done to take brat to the next level, was tweeting “kamala IS brat” after the VP stepped in for Joe Biden in the 2024 presidential election race. She isn’t calling Harris a brat but suggesting that she displays “brat attitude” by being unapologetically herself, even if others find it a bit unnerving. This one tweet has led to a multitude of memes aiding the Harris 2024 campaign, most by Harris’s marketing team themselves. Kamala has embraced “brat summer,” just like everybody else. Despite being British and unable to vote in US elections, Charli XCX has seemingly endorsed Kamala.
Charli XCX’s brat has been a refreshing change from the overly produced and manicured influencer lifestyle. Now, we can all sit back, relax, and paint our nails neon green.
