Charli XCX's 'Brat' Summer: Music, Style and Viral Culture Explained

There's no doubt that Charli XCX had one of the biggest albums of the year – and with her sixth studio album bratWith her she not only triggered an important musical era, but also a cultural movement.

The Collins Dictionary, which chose the word “brat” as its 2024 word of the year, defines the term as “a child, especially a naughty, unruly child” and is usually used as a “contemptuous or playful term,” but shared with Das Word has evolved to also describe a “confident, independent and hedonistic attitude”.

brat — its remarkable songs, its lime-green and black aesthetic, and its attitude — were synonymous with internet culture among Millennials and Generation Z. The album instantly became the soundtrack to this year's Brat Summer.

Since its release on June 7, 2024 brat (stylistically written in lower case) has spawned hits like “360,” which stars several women with large Internet followings, including indie actresses Julia Fox, Rachel Sennott and Chloë Sevigny. In another song, “Girl So Confusing,” Charli suffered from a perceived feud with two-time Grammy winner Lorde, who rose to fame alongside the “Boom Clap” artist in the mid-2010s. The singers' rumored feud was the subject of numerous Tumblr fans — until Charli and Lorde buried the alleged hatchet in a remix of the song that dropped two weeks after the album's original release.

Another prominent track, “Apple,” lyrically describes unpacking family trauma and has inspired a viral dance routine on TikTok.

Much of the album's sound is based on the European rave scene, with production largely handled by AG Cook, Hudson Mowhake and Gesaffelstein. One of the downtempo tracks, “So I,” is a tribute to the late DJ and producer SOPHIE.

The cover for brat is simple – a light green background with black text that says “Brat” in lowercase. Charli explained the choice in an interview with Vogue SingaporeShe said she made a conscious decision to defy the norms and rules of the mainstream pop landscape.

“I wanted to choose an offensive, untrendy shade of green to give the impression that something was wrong,” she said. “I want us to question our expectations of pop culture – why are some things considered good and acceptable and others considered bad? I'm interested in the narratives behind it and want to provoke people. I don’t do things to be nice.

Since its publication, many have taken to social media to describe her “brat” activities. Back in July, after President Joe Biden withdrew from his re-election campaign, Charli wrote on X (formerly Twitter) “Kamala IS brat” and supported then-Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. Harris' campaign team later used the brat Aesthetics for marketing materials.

As the album proved to be a summer hit, many people – especially women and queer men – posted their “brat” activities on social media, be it partying at the club, spending lavishly, or even attending Charli's Sweat tour Troye was there and Sivan was co-headliner.

Nominations for the 67th Annual Grammy Awards will be announced on Friday, November 8th and Charli has submitted brat for consideration in the “Album of the Year” category.