It’s officially Brat summer! Here are 8 reasons why Brat is Charli XCX’s most acclaimed album:

Great production moment

Brat was a next-level project for Charli. It’s got an electro-pop sound with vibrant elements of house and club bangers mixed in. Songs such as “360,” “Apple” and “Girl, so confusing” explore the themes of confidence and self-doubt as well.

It’s a masterwork in marketing

Lime green is the loudest color of the summer!

“I wanted to go with an offensive, off-trend shade of green to trigger the idea of something being wrong,” Charli said in an interview with Vogue Singapore.

It was a good call, because the “Brat summer trend” is dominating social media with neon green vibes. Some brands have even hopped on this trend, including the signature Arial font — for their marketing campaigns.

Kamala Harris joining the trend

Even US Vice President Kamala Harris embraced the “Brat Summer” trend by using it for her presidential campaign after Biden dropped out.

Embracing the Brat Summer

Clearly, Brat summer has really taken off. And here’s how to dive into it as both an aesthetic and lifestyle.

It’s all about a bit of chaos. As Charli puts it perfectly, “It can go that way, like, quiet luxury, but it can also be so, like trashy. Just like, a pack of cigs, and, like, a Bic lighter, and, like, a strappy white top. With no bra. That’s, like, kind of all you need.”

**THE** “Apple” dance!

They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away.

The viral “Apple” choreography was invented by Kelley Heyer, a TikTok creator. The song has been taking over social media and many celebrities have joined in on the fun.

The power of authentic social media

Brat is a way of rejecting both old norms and the new pressures from social media, especially TikTok. It pushes back against the constant curation and consumption of trends like Barbiecore or the “clean girl” look, which all feel too polished and deliberate.

Instead of constantly updating your wardrobe or chasing the latest trend, Brat is about wearing the same outfit every day just because you want to. According to Charli, a strappy white top worn without a bra is a staple of the Brat anti-aesthetic.

Charli’s vulnerable songwriting

For Charli, these ideas hit differently now. While working on Brat, she set aside the usual industry buzzwords and wrote her lyrics like she was texting a close friend. This more personal approach helped her move beyond clichés and tap into real emotions.

What really stands out is her honesty of feeling both joy and a bit of jealousy, like realizing that her friends are experiencing things she hasn’t.

You might find this her most vulnerable record yet.

A score of 8.6/10 by Pitchfork

Brat is the most successful realization of Charli XCX’s goal to transform the orderly world of pop into something more wild and chaotic. No wonder the critics are loving it.

Happy 8.6

: https://t.co/rxBkdDX6Uw pic.twitter.com/z1SCJfi630

— Pitchfork (@pitchfork) August 6, 2024

If you haven’t yet, stream “Guess” by Charli xcx featuring Billie Eilish, which is out now on all streaming platforms!