Why Everyone is 'brat' Right Now

It’s been two months since the release of Charli XCX’s avant garde electronic pop piece, BRAT, dubbed by the internet as the album of the summer. But as the British singer herself alluded on Instagram this week, “BRAT Autumn” will probably be a thing, too. Fall is nearly here but the hype generated by this record has far from slowed down, and in many ways its cultural grip is stronger than ever.

What began with the “ BRAT Wall ” in Brooklyn and the BRAT profile picture maker online has blossomed into a bonafide cultural movement. The album is a masterclass in music marketing, from its instantly recognizable bright green color palette to its empowering message.

In recent years many pop albums have attempted to craft campaigns in hopes of achieving this kind of chokehold on both casual fans and listeners outside of the mainstream pop/electronic bubble. Of all its triumphs, BRAT's most impressive has been its accessibility as an album for the people– not just the pretty girls, the confident dancers, or the internet socialites, but anyone who wants to join the fun. BRAT makes you feel like you are part of the party just by being you.

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As someone whose music taste and community lies within goth and punk subcultures, I saw it as typical pop album until I looked a little deeper. Watching it have such an impact on the zeitgeist and get favorited by some of the most elitist alternative music fans I know at the same time, indicated something special. Regardless of my song preferences, there was no denying its air of genuineness, different from the nauseatingly manufactured pop products out there.

At its rotten-apple core BRAT offers a dose of authenticity and imperfect complexity that’s appealing to everyone on all ends of the musical spectrum. Much of the gatekeeping we see from alternative subcultures has very little to do with simply “hating pop music” and is more about the message and intentions of the work.

Sonically this album exists almost as anti-pop music. While not directly hyper-pop , it takes from many of its post-meta-ironic characteristics. It’s pop music that satirizes itself. The strategic usage of autotune and certain pacing choices make for unique, almost sludgy elements, something a pop producer might usually avoid. This adds a humanity to the songs and makes them feel ambient and intricate.

Tracks like “I might say something stupid” and “Apple” slow things down, expressing a vulnerable side of the party girl archetype. " Von Dutch ," ”360”  and “Club Classics” have a nostalgic Y2K saturated vibe, something the singer's recent birthday party pics by L.A. photographer Myles Hendrik have only enforced on socials.

BRAT's message, which Charli described on Tik Tok , also highlights the value of women supporting women. This is most recently seen in “Guess” featuring Billie Eilish, who joins her atop a mountain of underwear in the video (all donated to charity afterward, by the way). The track is already an influencer dance sensation, of course. Alongside the “Girl, so Confusing” remix featuring Lorde, XCX is taking girl power energy and ideology and propelling it forward.

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It feels reminiscent of the impact Lady Gaga had on the music industry at the height of her fame. Early albums like The Fame and later, Artpop saw the same appeal to the misfit and misunderstood crowd while remaining mainstream. Gaga emerged at the exact time people needed party music that didn’t discriminate and celebrated being different. BRAT is the first piece of media to channel that same ethos since the early to mid 2010’s.

But it's becoming even more important, as its now found itself in the middle of the U.S. presidential election. On July 21st President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 election, quickly endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place. As this news broke every celebrity under the sun took to Twitter/X to voice opinions, including Charli XCX who simply stated “ kamala IS brat .”

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Not only did her statement cause a mass surge in Gen Z support for Harris but it also marked a marketing shift for the VP’s team. They embraced the call out as a badge of honor, using neon green on socials and re-sharing the memes. Since then, pop fans and political activists alike have made and shared thousands of videos, pictures, and gifs of Kamala Harris with imagery and music from BRAT. This November we may see a BRAT fall and winter, in more ways than one.

The youth of today are telling us directly what they want. They want unapologetic, messy, fun, and human expression. They don't want things to be clean and processed, they want something real. We all do. BRAT is a vessel to express that desire and be part of something more; a world wide party that celebrates individuality and invites everyone to join.

Club Classics' Brat: Charli XCX Dance Party takes place this Fri., Aug. 16, 10 p.m. at 1720, 1720 E. 6th St., Downtown.

Charli XCX's 'Sweat Tour' with Troye Sivan comes to the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Oct. 15.