Concordia students share their definitions of the “Brat Summer” phenomenon.
When the artwork for Charli XCX’s BRAT was initially revealed, it was met with criticism and confusion. Fans took issue with its peculiar choice of colour and pixelated text, basing their discontent on a seeming lack of creativity. Some proclaimed that “art directors must be on strike;” the British singer revealed to Vogue Singapore that she intentionally picked an “offensive, off-trend shade of green to trigger the idea of something being wrong.”
In a seemingly unprecedented turn of events (to most, but not Charli herself), that same green shade of Pantone 3570-C would find itself everywhere just a few months later. From hit singles to viral phrases (“I’m so Julia”) and dances and marketing campaigns, the chatter around BRAT was inescapable. Its June 7 release date was optimal for the album to thrive all summer long — enter the phenomenon of “brat summer.”
For communications student Mariam Sy, “brat summer” simply encompasses the 2024 summer period marked by the album’s virality.
“BRAT became that thing — it felt like everyone was on board. If you know BRAT you know BRAT; it has that ‘cool kid’ ethos to it,” Sy said.
The album’s artwork played a monumental part in its omnipresence throughout the summer. Tabéa Benlakehal, ex- Concordian Music Editor, cites its easy replicability as a key factor towards its popularity online.
“People appropriated the style and made countless memes online with the same font, which only boosted its hype more,” she explained.
Charli XCX’s team doubled down on this potential with the Brat Generator, a quick, easy, and widely accessible way to spoof the cover (which even made its way into our own pitch meetings).
The music was equally important to the album’s success. Thanks to its quality and dynamic club-oriented tracks, the album earned raving reviews from critics and fans alike. Listening to BRAT from front to back on evening drives to became a summer staple for Concordia sociology student Latiyfa Stewart.
“My friends and I would start the album in Montreal and have it blasting with the windows down while driving across the Champlain bridge [towards the South Shore]. There’s no need to add anything else to the queue, the album has it all,” Stewart said.
She even recalled the sun setting in the background — it’s the fun, picturesque, carefree setting you’d see in any of the viral TikTok videos set to the album’s track “Everything is romantic.”
The BRAT singer gave her own definition of the term, explaining “brat” as a “girl who is a little messy and likes to party, and maybe says some dumb things sometimes.”
The artist’s sentiment was echoed by Concordia communications student Kiana Cross, better known as DJ PØPTRT.
“It encapsulates what the album stands for: being free, being who you want [to be], doing what you want, having fun, and living life to the fullest,” said Cross.
Having spent her “brat summer” playing gigs all over Montreal — including Concordia’s frosh events — she notably praises Charli XCX’s recent Boiler Room sets.
For fans of BRAT, one thing is clear: “brat summer” is far from over.
“We are definitely going to extend it into the next couple of months,” added Cross, who will be headlining a Charli XCX-themed dance party at Bar Le Ritz PDB on Sept. 13, hosted by the What The Dance event group.
Whether you lived it with the album or not, “brat summer” was omnipresent” — be it through the album’s music, its vernacular, or its plethora of viral moments. It shows no signs of slowing down either as Charli XCX has already joked about “brat autumn” and will be hitting the road next month with Troye Sivan for the Sweat Tour — including a stop in Laval on Sept.16.
