Charli xcx is shaking up the industry, are you here for the ride?
Perhaps you’ve ventured out of the pop culture loop for a while or maybe you’re just a technophobe and scrolling TikTok isn’t your forte. If so, you may not have encountered the cultural phenomenon gripping young adults around the globe, a phenomenon known as ‘BRAT Summer’. Allow me to explain.
32 year old artist Charli xcx released her sixth studio album ‘BRAT’ on June 7th of this year and the response has been nothing short of electrifying. However, this isn’t your typical case of a singer releasing a popular record that has immense success and a reflective cultural impact, in fact the artist’s streaming numbers don’t quite rival that of pop staples such as Ariana Grande or Dua Lipa. In terms of impact on society however, the impressive album rollout has certainly struck a chord with young people.
What does BRAT Summer mean?
It seems the first mistake journalists and bloggers make is continually attempting to define the term ‘BRAT Summer’ and what it actually entails – realistically it can be whatever you want it to be. The strange nature of the whole trend is that it means both everything and nothing at the same time. You had a hookup with a guy you told all your friends you’d never look twice at? BRAT Summer. You have work in the morning but you’re ten tequila shots deep, smoking cigarettes on a balcony at 3am? Who cares! BRAT Summer.
The record speaks to those who are young at heart and still finding their feet in the world, being messy, having fun, expressing themselves to the fullest and likely getting their hearts shattered in the process.
Charli xcx is not a new player in the music industry, she’s been churning out hits in both the mainstream and alternative scene for over a decade. However, she is one of the few artists that has a knack for truly connecting with her audience, the songstress has mastered an album that is relatable to a very specific and incredibly loyal army of listeners. ‘BRAT’ also arrived at the perfect time, dropping during one of pop music’s most severe droughts, at least in terms of innovative ideas.
“Kamala is BRAT” – Charli xcx.
Another charming aspect of the record is that it isn’t what you’d consider ‘typical’ pop music. Most of the tracks don’t have the basic formula usually required for radio-play and the project incorporates many musical elements from the early 2000s British rave scene. Bizarrely, even the basic artwork for the album has taken on a life of its own. The cover depicts the word ‘brat’ in a low resolution Arial font and is stamped upon an unappealing lime green backdrop. The album cover has become so instantly recognisable amongst young people that even the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, rebranded her social media to reflect the popular trend in a bid to attract younger voters to her campaign.
The Rise of Chappell Roan
Charli xcx isn’t the only artist that is having an excellent year in terms of popularity and success, with a new force arriving on the scene in the form of 26 year old Chappell Roan. The American artist has seen a stunning surge in popularity, with her queer anthem ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ creeping up music charts around the world – in fact, her album ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess’ has taken almost a year to hit the top spot in the UK.
Chappell Roan and Charli xcx have an overlap in audiences, both appealing to young queer people with their distinct fearlessness and unapologetic energy. In fact, Charli has admitted to keeping an eye on Chappell Roan, predicting that the rising star will have a career with ‘longevity’.
‘Guess’ Remix with Billie Eilish
It wasn’t Chappell Roan that featured on xcx’s ‘Guess’ Remix however, it was vocal goddess Billie Eilish who made her mark on the track. Eilish has also reigned supreme in 2024, with all ten tracks from her third studio album, ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’, debuting in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Thus far, 2024 has been a superb year for female artists and the calibre of their work shouldn’t be underestimated. It feels as though the majority of popstars, (excluding Katy Perry), have retired the notion that they must constantly make some profound statement in their projects with insincere ‘deep’ messaging and are instead creating music that allows younger generations to escape the hostile political climate that they’re often swept into by the tides of social media.
Of course, this isn’t to say that music shouldn’t be political or vulnerable – it absolutely can be, but sometimes escapism is crucial when it comes to a fun, summer release.
With the spotlight shining brighter than ever, women in mainstream music are relishing their influence and are having fun with it, crafting records that genuinely resonate with young audiences and finally allowing the world of pop music to recapture it’s camp edginess, something that’s been sorely missing in recent years. The next time you’re overthinking your decisions, wondering whether you’ve chosen the right career path or you’re beating yourself up over an unrequited love, remember that you can always reach for the glitter, put your shades on and hit the club…BRAT Summer isn’t over yet!
