The Hype Behind Charli XCX’s Brat Summer
Whether you have listened to Charli XCX’s Brat album or not, you have probably heard of the term Brat. Charli’s album has become so popular that Brat is no longer just music, it is a season and even a personality. Brat has become such a hot topic that it is a question whether Charli knew what kind of marketing she was doing or if the fame fell into her hands.
Charli XCX was previously famous before she released her Brat album and isn’t new to the spotlight. She has other songs with “Boom Clap”, “Boys”, and “Gone.” It wasn’t until when she released the Brat album that she saw a new kind of attention. Brat really caused Charli XCX’s career to skyrocket with Brat having 13.6 million streams
During the Summer of 2024, Charli XCX released her album Brat. The album cover is a simple lime green image with the term brat in black letters. It’s very simple, yet the songs on the album are very upbeat and portray a party setting. Instantly, her music became very popular across TikTok with people creating dances to her songs. Shortly after her release, people started coining the term “Brat Summer.” Brat has also become a term for style. When someone is “Brat,” it means someone is pretty or is “that girl.” Brat can also refer to a specific fashion with a Gen Z mindset. Brat culture has roots in the album’s themes, including generational trauma, womanhood, self-image, joy, and expectations of society. It is impossible to miss it and not know what it is even if you do not listen to the music.
Charli isn’t the only one profiting off of Brat. Many brands and public figures are utilizing the Brat trend through campaigns. Kamala Harris gained $15.9 million from endorsing Charli XCX through her campaign “Kamala is Brat” (Botelho). Last summer, we had the Barbie trend after the release of the movie and similarly, we had the Brat trend during the same time just a year later. Similar to Barbie, many businesses and brands use the Brat font and album cover to fit in with the trend. The Brat trend has gone so far as to different coffee brands incorporating Brat into their coffee. San Diego’s La Chochette has an Iced Brat Macha in an effort to embrace Brat culture.
Brat is a club that everyone can be a part of. Because of its simplicity, it can change over time and has an open interpretation. As brands continue to grow they’re going to try to stay up with what’s trending, Brat summer just happened to be one that was very unexpected.
Works Cited
Botelho, Renan. “Kamala Harris’ Brat Summer Brings Her $15.9 Million in Media Exposure.” Women’s Wear Daily, 9 Aug. 2024, wwd.com/pop-culture/culture-news/kamala-harris-brat-campaign-viral-hat-1236539876/.
Charli xcx Charts. “X.com.” X (Formerly Twitter), 2024, x.com/chartscharli/status/1819916181760806961. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.