Charli xcx released her highly anticipated sixth studio album, “Brat” on June 7. It debuted at number 3 on the US Billboard 200, becoming Charli’s most successful album yet. Since its release, “Brat” has taken over both the musical and cultural world and sent Brat Summer, a phrase popularized on social media that emphasizes the album’s cultural significance, into full swing.
“Brat” is a dance-pop/electronic album filled with high-energy club anthems. While celebrating party culture, it also offers insight into vulnerable topics personal to Charli XCX.
Charli XCX explained the significance behind “brat” on TikTok: “You’re just like that girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes. Who feels herself but maybe also has a breakdown. But kind of like, parties through it, is very honest, very blunt. A little bit volatile. Like, does dumb things. But it’s brat. You’re brat. That’s brat.” Charli’s description of “brat” resonates throughout her newest album.
“360” kicks off the album boldly, beginning with, “I went my own way, and I made it / I’m your favorite reference, baby.” A minimalistically produced song, “360” exudes confidence and celebrates Charli’s successful career. Another iconic line, “I’m everywhere I’m so Julia,” references actress Julia Fox — a friend of Charli XCX’s. Fox is also featured in the music video, along with several more of today’s internet “it girls,” or highly popular influencers, actresses and models.
Some of the album’s most high-energy dance songs include “Club classics,” “Von dutch” and “365.” “Club classics” is exactly what the title suggests — an electric party song with a repetitive chorus and bouncy beat, according to Pitchfork. “Von dutch,” the album’s lead single released in February 2024, references the identically named luxury clothing brand. In the song, Charli xcx boasts about her glamorous lifestyle: “it’s okay to just admit that you’re jealous of me.” Charli XCX revealed on TikTok that “Von dutch” is the only diss track on the album. “365” — another club anthem — brings the 15-track album to a close and vividly epitomizes what “Brat” describes–a “365 party girl.”
“Sympathy is a knife,” “Girl, so confusing” and “Mean girls” all explore complex female relationships Charli XCX has dealt with. “Girl, so confusing” expresses the difficulty of not knowing what others are feeling and having a friendship fallout. Fans speculated that this song refers to Lorde, as Charli was once mistaken for Lorde in an interview, and the two had had a public friendship in the past. This was proven correct when Lorde joined Charli to “work it out in the remix.” Lorde’s verse provides a dueling perspective on their relationship, and the remix overall illustrates how insecurity and jealousy are two of many obstacles that make it so “confusing to be a girl.”
In “Sympathy is a knife,” Charli expresses feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. The girl Charli xcx references “taps her insecurities,” which leaves her feeling like she can never compare. However, the sympathy for Charli only worsens the pain.
In “Apple,” Charli explores her complicated family generational relationships. In an interview on Las Culturistas podcast, Charli xcx revealed that “Apple” acts as a metaphor for her complicated relationship with her parents. The song observes how traits are passed down through generations and how children become like their parents. Charli expresses her desire to escape this cycle, saying, “what I find is kind of scary / makes me just wanna drive.”
In addition to upbeat pop anthems, “Brat” yields sensitive, personal songs that display a different side of Charli XCX. These slower-paced, more vulnerable songs of the album include “I might say something stupid,” “Rewind,” “I think about it all the time,” and “So I.” “I might say something stupid” conveys Charli’s insecurities and doubts about her place in the music industry. Similarly, in “Rewind,” Charli XCX questions if she deserves success. She expresses desires to go to a “simpler time” — free of worries about Billboard charts, paparazzi and other oppressive elements of celebrity culture.
Charli XCX told Rolling Stone that the song “I think about it all the time” is about motherhood. She discusses the topic from the lens of seeing her friend have a child and the complex feelings it brought up.
“So I” honors SOPHIE, Charli’s former producer and mentor, who passed away unexpectedly. In the song, Charli reflects on their relationship and wishes they’d spent more time together.
On June 7 — “Brat’s” release day — Charli XCX stated on Instagram that she “narrowed down around 65 shades of green to the final most ultimate most brat green.” This search for the perfect choice is seen not only in “Brat’s” cover, but in its playful party-pop tunes and vulnerable, revealing lyrics that are expertly woven together into a 42-minute record. The iconic “Brat” green is everywhere — murals, photos created by online generators and everyday green objects. “Brat” provides the groundwork for a carefree summer and invites listeners to explore a new, brat version of themselves.
