Young voters, who were crucial to Joe Biden’s 2020 win, lost a great deal of their excitement for him throughout his administration, according to the Washington Post. Since Harris joined the ticket, Gen Z and young millennials have adored her, but other Democrats worry that they won’t cast a ballot, a margin that might impact the result of the election.” Memes and video compilations of the vice president’s most memorable and quote-worthy moments, coupled to the sounds of Charli XCX’s club-pop hits, have been used as a means of support for Harris. Thanks to her Generation Z team, Harris’s “Brat” videos on TikTok have received millions of views and likes, influencing thousands of young voters.
By embracing memes and well-liked TikTok audios and trends, Vice President Kamala Harris has amassed millions of views and followers on her Kamala HQ TikTok and X campaign accounts. This is in contrast to the Biden campaign’s TikTok approach, which could not gain traction with viewers. Charlie XCX’s song “Brat Summer” refers to a brat summer which Kamala Harris’s team used to the best of their abilities. It was included in her mixtape CRASH from 2022. The song has a rebellious and fun attitude, which is typical of Charlie XCX’s sound. If you enjoy Charlie XCX’s music, “Brat Summer,”, is a perfect fit for her varied and avant-garde catalog.
What does pop musician Charli XCX have to do with Gen Z users calling presidential candidate Kamala Harris a “brat” online, and why is this happening? In 2024, is it beneficial to be a “brat”? Charli XCX defines a “brat” as a party animal who is also honest and unpredictable. This notion has gained popularity among Generation Z, resulting in a plethora of memes in the previous month. The “Kamala Is Brat” meme started when memes labeled Kamala Harris, who is younger and more active than Joe Biden and Donald Trump, as a “brat” candidate as the trend grew.
In the weeks that followed, further edits and memes on TikTok and X played with the notion that Kamala Harris was a “brat” candidate, even though she wasn’t yet a presidential contender. “The Fell Out of a Coconut Tree” video, which Kamala Harris made famous a while back, is frequently cited in memes with catch phrases like “Coconut-Pilled” and “Project Coconut.” Since declaring her candidature, Harris has been the subject of several popular memes, such as the now-famous one that reads, “You think you simply fell out of a coconut tree? You are a part of everything around you and everything that comes before you.”Â
This remark, which came out of a speech Harris gave at the White House last year to discuss educational justice, has become a humorous campaign rallying cry for her cause. Fans have remixed her quote with well-known music and adopted coconut emojis. Additionally, Harris has been transformed by social media users into movies featuring her laughing and dancing to songs from Charli XCX’s album “Brat,” solidifying her as a representative of the neon-green “Brat summer” style. Charli XCX even tweeted, “Kamala IS brat,” reinforcing the analogies. She defined “Brat summer” as “being confident, putting yourself out there, being out, being about, being the center of attention.” She is influencing the younger generation and her Gen Z team is helping to contribute to the optimistic launch of her campaign.Â
As a part of Gen Z, I can see most are in favor of taking action against climate change, reproductive healthcare, etc. She finds it very astounding that so many young people are passionate about Vice President Harris. The Democratic Party seems to have received a boost in energy because Generation Z has taken a stand. I sense a level of enthusiasm that I haven’t seen since 2020, and I believe that Kamala Harris is receiving a lot of support. The younger generation is more in line with her policies, and people are feeling her candidature. At the rally, for example, the crowd was incredibly enthusiastic and excited, and we’ve seen that both in person and online. In other words, Kamala Harris is incredibly popular among younger generations, especially Generation Z. These videos of her, which are becoming popular on TikTok and other social media sites, obviously show that she agrees with people on policy.Â
“Brat Summer: The Charli XCX Trend Explained.” Hello Magazine, 19 Sept. 2024, www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/708741/brat-summer-charli-xcx-trend-explained/. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.
“Kamala Harris and the Brat Summer.” The Washington Post, 19 Sept. 2024, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2024/kamala-harris-brat-summer/. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.