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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at KCL chapter.

Charli XCX released her Brat feature album on 11 October 2024. The original album came out this June and became an instant classic, the obsession of so many, particularly, young people.

In a recent Apple Music Interview with Zane Lowe for this album, Charli XCX revealed that “Where the actual first idea of doing a text cover came from was to save money,”. She admitted that she presumed this album was niche and would not appeal to a large group of people so being economical was important. There is a certain irony in Charli’s comments. Yet does this actually encapsulate the very reason ‘brat’ has been so culturally significant this year?

Historical Precedence

Brat has been conceived and produced in a post-pandemic world. A world which has been characterised as polarised with a focus on people feeling isolated. Furthermore, the economic landscape has meant hardship for the majority of young people. Perhaps, then, it is not a coincidence that a genre such as this one has struck a chord at this particular moment.

This is not unusual. We can cast an eye back to the 1920s, a world trying to come to terms with the aftermath of WW1. What emerged were flapper girls, Jazz and Modernism. These movements in particular were hugely experimental with content and form. They often discussed fears and anxieties of urban life and straying further away from nature. What fueled these fears was losing community.

Fast forward to the years after the 2008 crash and we can see lyrics to songs focus on the financial situation. For example, Time of Our Lives by Pitbull and Ne-Yo (2014) has the lyrics ‘I knew my rent was gon’ be late about a week ago/I worked my ass off/But I still pay it though/But I got just enough/To get off in this club’. There was a collective awareness of the financial struggles. However, pleasure and enjoyment were pursued as an antidote to daily life.

Both examples echo the phenomenon we are witnessing now. Charli XCX and some of her contemporaries and collaborators, Troye Sivan and The Dare have identified the desires of young people. What seems to unite these artists is their unashamed and free nature of the music. Synths combined with sparse and often shocking lyrism such as ‘You wanna guess the colour of my underwear/You wanna know what I got going on down there’ from Charli XCX’s and The Dare’s song Guess, mean we can indulge in something traditionally thought of as transgressive. This offers something thrilling to the listener yet simultaneously there seems to be comfort in relating to one another.

Community, then, may be the principal idea. Encouraging listeners to enjoy the music in shared spaces, such as a club or a bar. The music itself can be a vessel to find like-minded people, who perhaps share ideas and values. This certainly was the case for many people, particularly members of the queer community, and liking this style of music has almost become a signifier of someone’s identity. What is remarkable though, is that something which had always been popular in subculture has broken into the mainstream.

The Brat Aesthetic

Most young people will know what ‘brat’ is referring to or will see the specific shade of green and associate it with this album. The strong iconoclasm of this album has lent itself to sharing your personality and identity within a larger community.

However, unlike many aesthetics which can be rigid in their appearance there is no determinate way to be ‘brat’. Charli XCX humorously defined brat as someone who has a “pack of cigs, a Bic lighter and a strappy white top with no bra.” These are largely inexpensive items and like the album cover it is simple and stripped back.

A person could wear cargo pants and a top or just their underwear and they can be considered part of this ‘brat’ aesthetic. It is an aesthetic which is attainable and can be moulded to your identity, therefore allowing for full self-expression.

The music and the aesthetic go hand in hand in the success of this genre. The seemingly humble beginnings of many of the club/dance albums, particularly Brat, has spoken to Gen Z. Subculture and community which seemed to have been lost is being found again. Authenticity above all else is the message. Being honest and self-aware about life and yet finding excitement and pleasure anyway.

Ruby is the Vice President for Her Campus at the King's College London (KCL) chapter this year! She is in her second year studying English and spent last year as a writer for Her Campus covering the culture aspects of the site focusing on anything from television to what to do around London. Beyond Her Campus Ruby is a lover of film and reading the worst rom coms she can get her hands on and is thrilled and excited to be stepping into the role of Vice President this year!!