If you were on social media for two hours a day, that’s enough to learn that Charli XCX is taking “brat” everywhere this summer. The hashtag #Bratsummer has gained significant traction, featured in over 130,000 TikTok videos and nearly 70,000 Instagram posts. According to Google Trends, the term has also been on a steady incline worldwide since the first week of June. Like the social media craze, it’s no surprise that the phrase “Brat” is commonly mentioned in conversations across the VHS community.
So, what exactly is this summer phenomenon? “Brat Summer” is a trendy term that has been causing a buzz on social media after Charli XCX released her album with the same name in June 2024. The British singer’s latest album expresses chaotic thoughts about her thirties: friendship, breakups, passion, anxiety, innocence, and inner strength. Figuratively speaking, “brat” is the sound of clubs pumping music at night; It celebrates liberalism, encourages partying and sexual exploration, and promotes prioritizing your joy above all else. The term “brat” typically refers to someone spoiled and self-indulgent, but in the context of “brat” from Charli XCX, it’s used more nonchalantly and positively. “You’re a bit of a messy and party girl who can say silly things sometimes. She’s honest, straightforward, and a little moody”, Charli XCX explained in her official definition of a “brat girl.” The term “Brat Girl Summer” can be understood best as a battle cry — uniting all indulgers, fun-lovers, and “365 Party Girls.” In a BBC interview last June, Charli XCX detailed the key elements of a Brat Girl Summer, noting that it involves having “a pack of cigarettes, a Bic lighter, and a strappy white top worn without a bra.” At its core, embracing Brat culture is about messy, imperfect self-acceptance — and right now, it’s the easiest way to engage the under-thirties demographic.
But her songs aren’t the only things that have gone “viral” here. The striking lime green color from the Brat album cover has also become a “trend” that has stunned the world in both fashion and lifestyle aspects. Fans described Brat green as a lively yet cool lime green color, symbolizing freedom and the confidence to be oneself without being swayed by public opinion. This isn’t the first summer to have been color-coded by pop culture; it’s the second time in a row. Last year, netizens worldwide were also obsessed with Barbie’s Pink from the record-smashing film of Greta Gerwig. The color authority was partly responsible for the world domination of Barbie Pink months before the film even premiered. While Barbie Pink has a long, storied history, Brat Green is fresh out of the gates, created by design studio Special Offer Inc. “If you look at Brat Green on a screen, it zings,” said Sunita Yeomans, leader of the Graphic Branding and Identity course at London College of Communication. “Barbie Pink does the same thing. It’s about finding a shade that works both when it’s backlit on a screen and also in real life.”
This cultural phenomenon has even crept into the burning arena of the upcoming presidential election, where Kamala Harris stepped into the game. Being the first Black woman and first Asian American to lead a major party ticket, Kamala is a true “brat” by her boundary-breaking, feminine, and intersectional acts. After President Joe Biden announced his drop out of the 2024 election race against Trump and endorsed Kamala Harris instead, Charli XCX’s tweet took over X (previously known as Twitter) to offer her seal of approval for the potential female president, proclaiming: “Kamala IS brat.” Soon after receiving Charli’s approval, a wave of memes emerged, accompanied by a swift circulation of t-shirts featuring Harris’ name in the design of the “Brat” album cover. Even the Vice President’s headquarters changed its backdrop to Brat Green on their X official account (@kamalahq) and used “365” as their official soundtrack during the campaign on TikTok.
Despite the popularity, the singer made the official announcement in separate posts on her social media accounts on Labor Day weekend, “Goodbye forever brat summer,” written by Charlie XCX. And just like that, after three months of memes and TikTok dances, “Brat Summer” is officially over.
But who knows, maybe “Brat Summer” could pave the way for “Demure Autumn.” Strange memes have happened all over the Internet and The Village School students enjoyed it, after all.
References:
Leah, D (2024, July 23), How this ‘off-putting’ color shaded the internet and beyond, cnn.com. CNN Style.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/23/style/brat-summer-green-explained/index.html
Manish, P (2024, August 3), Brat summer officially over, declares Charli XCX, bbc.com. BBC.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyj2y7ggd7o
Lauren, F (2024, September 2), After 3 months of memes, Charli XCX declares the end of ‘Brat Summer,’ ew.com. Entertainment Weekly.
https://ew.com/charli-xcx-declares-the-end-of-brat-summer-8705282
