The Sensation of Brat Summer
February 28, 2024, set the start of a new era for British singer Charli XCX when she announced the arrival of her 8th studio album Brat, and its infamous lime green album cover. This caused chaos for chronically online Gen Z because recession pop was back and “brat summer” was in.
What exactly does this mean you may think, “Brat Summer” according to Urban Dictionary is “An unapologetic party or “messy” girl aesthetic for the summer based on the vibes of Charli Xcx’s new album “Brat.” Often including a hot yet trashy appearance and a lighter and sunglasses always on hand”. This term gained notability on TikTok and was a key part of summer 2024 to even now as we enter fall.
Its cause on social media has been phenomenal as TikTok creator Kelley Heyer created a dance based on track 11, “Apple” which has been recreated by big names such as Daisy Edgar Jones, Cara Delevinge, and even Charli herself. It made its mark on 2024 social media history as a huge generational sensation.
The iconic lime green and arial font made its way onto marketing campaigns and even presidential campaigns. Kamala Harris recently used the iconic album cover as a way to promote her X HQ account and this caused even more noise for the album. On top of this Charli XCX announced The Sweat Tour in collaboration with Troye Sivan.
Brat challenged the clean girl aesthetic with its messy smeared eyeliner, and it seems since its June 7th release that “Brat” has almost become a lifestyle. Being Brat means being carefree, partying til dawn, and embracing imperfections while remaining hardworking and independent.
The album's impact very much should be looked at closely because Charli’s biggest fans see it as a new era that can be compared to Madonna’s Erotica circa 1992. It was a fresh start for Charli as her previous work “Crash” was meant to cater to the mainstream charts but this time around, she did not care, she was going to make the party girl album of the decade and if that came with criticism then so be it.
Young women and queer people saw Brat as a magnum opus for not only their own blooming lives, but Charli XCX’s career as the impact of the album and raunchy culture it created will be one to remember and reminisce about for years to come.
By Andrea Mejia
Design by Emilie Dohner
