Words by Rebecca Woodcock
Charli xcx’s BRAT is confrontational, sensorially abrasive and one of the most accepted albums across young adults today. Its hyper-pop, EDM, retro-electronic sound arrived in time to relieve people from a turbulent political environment, providing them with an opportunity to be unapologetically themselves and potentially embrace the worst parts of themselves.
Charli’s distinctive green album cover dominated as the colour of summer: symbolic of a ‘Go’ sign, it signified impulsivity and freedom to be self-indulgent. Its fluorescence marked it as a time of change, in stark contrast from the typical and conventional. When interviewed by Vogue Singapore, Charli stated that she “wanted to go with an offensive, off-trend shade of green to trigger the idea of something being wrong”, again commending difference and defiant rebellion. Its title stands in all lowercase, breaking the usual laws of language, and its simplistic font hands agency to her audience, offering a chance to be embellished by the individual listening. Its striking image also reflects the blunt lyrics and harsh notes that inspire movement and change, marking a departure from norms, social constructs and political suppression.
Long after the album’s release, TikTok pages were filled with the culture of BRAT, indulging in drinking and partying. The BRAT society are consumers – always taking and rarely giving back. They return to media to evidence more wasteful attitudes but it is deemed productive as they appear more BRAT than they did before. Charli herself grew up in the club scene, attending nightclubs with her parents from the age of fifteen. However, it was never outside her bounds, more an essential part of the music industry. This directly juxtaposes the clean girl aesthetic which has long been positioned as something to strive for. We are psychologically programmed to fulfil our desires; however, we are restrained by outside forces and norms which restrict society from disintegrating. BRAT removes the leashes which condemn our impulses, and make it socially acceptable to be self-serving.
BRAT is also perhaps one of the more accessible trends, as it does not require excess consumption in regards to dressing in an artist or influencer’s merchandise. You cannot buy BRAT; it is an overall aesthetic and attitude. Despite the anti-social attitudes it promoted, BRAT was productive for some. People began dressing against the norm, claiming it was BRAT to subvert norms and unleash oneself from gendered confinement. The album represented a rejection of heteronormative expectations, with Charli xcx speaking out as a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ issues alongside her friend and fellow pop star Troye Sivan. In a clip posted by X (formerly known as Twitter) user @Bobbysbyline, Charli is seen with a bottle of Rush poppers, cheering to “gay rights”.
Charli xcx was most playful with her branding, recognizing her image of partying and drugs. Her tour poster pictured a drug baggy (encasing a sandwich, to satirically clarify to the critics that this definitely did not have any drug implications and was instead completely harmless). Posting on TikTok, she mocked those who would critic her, positioning herself as a role model who would laugh at backlash and continue to do as she pleases: this yet again boosted her image. She is unafraid and unapologetic, pushing back against the moral boundaries implemented by society.
Politicians noticed the influential benefits of associating themselves with BRAT, playing into the stereotypes that the album’s campaign and media presence generated. Looking for social change, we saw the Green Party recognizing that their future lies in the youth – campaigning using the bright green album cover alternatively titled “green party” in its same font and lowercase lettering. Similarly, in America Kamala Harris attempted to overtake Trump’s MAGA campaign with her own BRAT branding, changing the Kamala HQ X page to the BRAT text and lime green background following Charli herself who claimed that “kamala IS brat“. The green itself directly contrasted Trump’s red campaign, coming to symbolise democratic freedom and a bright future. It may be somewhat surprising that a political party would wish to associate themselves with an album campaign that glorified drug use, but their awareness of its influence and positive connotations may have overruled possible endorsement of illegal behaviour.
Charli told Vogue Singapore: “I’d like for us to question our expectations of pop culture—why are some things considered good and acceptable, and some things deemed bad? I’m interested in the narratives behind that and I want to provoke people. I’m not doing things to be nice”. Her BRAT album is here to question, stand ground for our beliefs, providing a chance to retake control. Rather than following pop genre conventions, she underlines her desire to disrupt and subvert popular culture, diverting from assumed, expected and linear trends. Her branding has opened the door for new voices, allowing an accessible landscape for those who also intend to disrupt and change pop culture.
