Charli XCX’s club and pop album Brat came out in June, and ever since then “brat buzz” has dominated social media. People go dressed in miniskirts and singlets, party all summer – and give a fuck. But what does that really mean? Trashy and elegant The word brat means brat, but in 2024 it means being confident, vulnerable and cool. – You are a girl who is a bit “messy” and who likes to party. You do some stupid things sometimes, but you party through it, says Charli XCX in an interview with Off the Record. Charli XCX (31) released her first album in 2013, and Brat is her sixth studio album. She has been popular in hyperpop, techno and pop, but Brat is her biggest success to date. Photo: Andrew Kelly / NTB This is what you do when it’s summer – and it can be both luxurious and trashy. – All you really need is a pack of cigarettes, a Bic lighter and a white singlet without a bra, says the artist in an episode of Sidetracked on the BBC. Are you abrupt? Take the quiz here. Liberating attitudes Brat summer can be seen as a counterpart to trends such as “clean girl” and “hot girl summer”, which have been big in recent years. A clean girl should look as natural and clean as possible, with neat hair, bright colors and calm days. And a hot girl summer was all about looking good, flirting and travelling. – Then it was that you had to be a hot girl for others. But brat girl is more like “yeah, I don’t give a shit whether you think I’m hot or not, I know I am,” says Lena Kolpus (25). She is a DJ (and brat), and has, among other things, played a techno set at the Riddu Riđđu festival this summer. Then she wore Moon boots with fur, white knee socks with lace, large sunglasses – and a summer cardigan with sequins, which her sister had sewn. In rush hour, you also have to take time to recharge, says Lena Kolpus. Photo: Lena Kolpus/Privat What makes things abrupt is that you go with exactly what you feel for, are non-traditional and play with the styling, says Kolpus. – You do what is comfortable and what you really want. You do whatever the hell you want. This is the energy you must have in a rush, she says. Because you don’t have a sharp buzzer if you make an effort to do so. – So simple that it’s brilliant The trend was not planned. Suddenly there was only a sudden buzz, and Charli’s listenership numbers skyrocketed. – The album is a feeling of self-liberation for many. All the lyrics on the album are completely carefree. It’s not terribly deep, says Larsen. He has worked in marketing at Warner Music, and has been a fan of Charli XCX since she started. A marketer’s dream: – Who would have thought that the low-key, nasty green color would become the color that everyone uses, everyone wants? says Larsen about “brat green”, which has become the very color of brat summer. Photo: Privat He believes that Brat Summer has become so big because the album and advertising are minimalistic, honest and fun: – We live in a time now where everything is very heavy, and the news is very heavy. It’s full of horrors, and I think maybe people need something that’s fun, he says. mP3 presenter Tamanna Agnihotri agrees with this. She believes that many young girls recognize themselves in the album. – People are sick and tired of being proper. Charli says it’s okay to make mistakes and not be perfect. You can laugh at the city, or take it easy. Tamanna Agnihotri says even more people want Charli XCX’s music after Brat arrived. Photo: Morten Skogly / news Agnihotri points out that abrupt summers are nevertheless also a trend that must fit in, just like other trends on social media. – People want to fit in, and there are endless niches on social media. Time will tell if you are steep or not. And you don’t need a cigar, a yacht and a martini to have a brat buzz – a quiet wine evening in the park can also be brat, if that’s what you want to do, says Larsen. The Kesha meets Posh Spice Brat aesthetic is sort of a mix of chaotic 2000s indie, grunge and minimalist nineties style. Think mini skirts and short dresses, small tops, high boots, smudgy eyeliner, heavy jewelery – and of course the white singlet, which has become a sort of symbol of brat buzz. Julia Fox is known for experimenting and pushing boundaries in fashion – and is always confident. She is an inspiration for Charli, and is a bit of the essence of what brat is about. Kesha had brat essentials like wild hair, torn clothes and smudged make-up already in 2009. Think of the music video for Tiktok. Victoria Beckham is a great inspiration for simple, luxurious nineties style. There are several elements from this in the brat style, such as minimal make-up, low-waist pants and small tops and sunglasses. This aesthetic is nothing new, says Agnihotri, but Charli XCX is the first to make it into a brand. – Now Charli XCX has put her foot down and said that I will mark this, and that this year will be about her. She has manifested that, and I think she has managed that quite well. Are you abrupt? Have you and the album become one, or is this trend not for you? Find out here! Hear more about brat summer here. Published 19.07.2024, at 20.13
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Now it’s “Brat summer” – it’s tousled hair, parties and yesterday’s eyeliner that apply – news Trøndelag – Local news, TV and radio
