English pop star Charli XCX has declared this summer ‘Brat Summer,’ a term adopted by her devoted fanbase, the Angels. Following the release of her sixth studio album, Brat, on June 7, the Boom Clap singer explained the essence of the trend during a BBC Sounds podcast interview. From neon green aesthetics to coquette-inspired accessories, Brat Summer is all about effortless ‘It’ girl vibes and a hint of unabashed pettiness. She sets the tone for a season of bold fashion choices and fearless self-expression with her latest music and iconic visuals.
Neon green, baby tees and sporty sunglasses everywhere? Welcome to Brat Summer!
The Boom Clap singer (31) explained the meaning of the term on the BBC Sounds podcast after the Angels adopted it following the Brat album drop on June 7.
Responding to a question about whether the star’s recent photo taken on a speedboat was part of this trend, Charlie said: “It could be like that – like luxury. “It could also be as trivial as a pack of cigarettes, a Bic lighter and a strappy white top without a bra,” the star added.
TikTok users have been scouring the new album’s lyrics to figure out what kind of items Brat Summer includes: digital cameras, shredded T-shirts, anything of a girly nature.
In a controversial move earlier this summer, Charli chose neon green as the backdrop for her album cover, perhaps the most iconic feature of Brat Summer. Upon revealing the album art, she faced strong criticism on the internet, which asked why fans feel so possessive over female artists that they expect their likeness on the cover.
There’s more to Brat Summer than accessories, reminiscent of Y2K and the indie sleaze trend. It’s a state of mind – being the “It” girl without trying hard.
In the music video for Brat’s “360,” the alt-pop star enlisted the help of several It Girls, including Chloë Sevigny, Julia Fox, Gabrielle Bechtel, Rachel Sennott, Chloe Cherry and Richie Shazam. The video also features Internet star Emma Chamberlain — who is the queen of messy buns and oversized sweatshirts, as well as a three-time Met Gala red carpet correspondent.
Charlie’s Brat Summer is all about effortless style, unabashed meanness and bruised flesh
The singer has adopted an effortless ‘It Girl’ persona during her album campaign: at a show in Los Angeles to promote the album, she told the audience, “I don’t want to sing this song. I just want you to sing it while I drink wine, OK?”
The plain green background and blurry, basic font clearly displaying the album’s name on the album cover give the record’s promotional cycle a nostalgic feel, as if Charli would never take anything seriously.
Brat Summer is also defined by unabashed promiscuity. The Face interviewed Charli about the album and called it her “most aggressive and confrontational record yet”. She doesn’t hold back when it comes to speaking her mind.
“I can be badass, but I don’t know if I’m badass,” the singer said on the Las Culturistas podcast in early June. “I don’t think that makes you a bad feminist if you don’t agree with every single woman. That’s not human nature.”
In her song Mean Girls, Charli praises a little bad behaviour – breaking your lover’s heart and using your “sharp-tongued tongue”.
The Face quoted her as saying, “I miss the days when pop music was really volatile and crazy. I miss the Paris Hilton days. Everyone is so concerned about everything right now, how they’ll be viewed, whether this art they’re making will offend anyone.”
When Charli and Lorde remixed Girl, it was so confusing that they suppressed unnecessary controversy, because Brat Summer should also be about suppressing unnecessary controversy. Based on a line that says they have “the same hair,” fans speculated that the Brat track, which describes Charli’s disappointment at a friend not following through on plans to collaborate on music or spend time with her, was about Lorde.
They “worked on the remix”, where Lorde admitted she was intimidated by the English artist, but has always respected her work.