“Brat” Mania

-Written by Charlotte Holder-

Today I wanted to talk about an album that is practically dominating the internet right now, so much so that it’s practically infamous and being used as branding in the upcoming election in the US. Brat by Charli XCX has grown to be so much more significant than I could have ever imagined at first listen. I’ve always casually enjoyed Charli’s music but I think the culture that has developed around brat’s release has made me really reflect on the connection many have been able to make with this album even though it’s seemingly just another hyperpop or club pop album. 

Through my own experience of brat summer and my own listening experience with the album, I think that brat is representative of so much more, while paired with unique beats and mixing techniques brat in my opinion is representative of the experience of girlhood from songs like “girl, so confusing” touching on the complexities of female friendships to “apple” which serves as a metaphor for generational trauma, highlighting the experience that many online are calling the experience of the eldest daughter.  Brat is a girly and messy album, the sound presents itself as something fresh and fun, music that makes you want to unleash your inner icon or even your inner brat however the lyrical content on many of the tracks tells a different story. The thing about brat and the online culture of brat summer that makes it so big or so important is that brat can really be anything you want it to be as long as you’re confident in and owning it. To me brat is an unapologetically feminine and bold album which often aren’t two traits that get tagged together in art. On the track “Mean Girls” Charli XCX highlights that this track or this album is for all her “Mean Girls”, my interpretation of this is that brat is for women who don’t fit into the traditional boxes or displays of femininity, or for women who re define what femininity is to them. Brat is about embracing those traits of femininity that we were taught to be ashamed of, embracing the emotion and the power that comes with that. I think this can be highlighted in the lines  “You say she’s problematic and the way you say it, so fanatic Think she already knows that you’re obsessed” to me meaning that it’s so easy to be labeled as problematic and things of that nature as somebody who may not tick conventional boxes for simply existing as your true authentic self. Further brat tackles the complexities of female friendship and the experience of being pitted against another woman whether you really want to or not on the track “Girl, so confusing remix” with the Artist Lorde. In my interpretation this track highlights the competitive nature of girlhood and the way women are taught to harbor their insecurities so as to not be considered messy which in turn typically results in the projection of those issues onto others. The lines “ It’s so confusing to be a girl” and “Man I don’t know I’m just a girl” take two phrases initially started as a lighthearted phrase used in discourse online and uses them to exemplify that there is no real right or wrong way to be a girl, there’s never the perfect girl or ideal thing to do. This track highlights that beneath the surface we all face the same societal pressures and it’s practically impossible to escape them because it ends up being at our own expense or the expense of another woman. 

Overall even Charli herself has said that Brat is her “most aggressive and confrontational record”, but also her most vulnerable. Accompanied by extremely bumpable beats, Charli XCX’s album “Brat” showcases the power in femininity through its bold and unapologetic exploration of female identity and strength. The album’s dynamic production and confident lyrics challenge traditional gender norms, celebrating women’s independence and resilience. By embracing both vulnerability and empowerment, Charli XCX redefines femininity, making a powerful statement about the multifaceted nature of women’s experiences. Not only has she created an album that is extremely enjoyable and practically a cult classic but an album that the girlies can resonate with as well. It’s an absolute yes from me and I will in fact be bumpin that all summer.