BRAT Summer?
Have you seen this image before? A green box with a 4-letter word that took over the internet during the summer of 2024 and has come to represent a new mindset. “Brat summer” represents women thinking about themselves and acting in a purposely offensive way. Charli XCX may have coined the concept, however pop artist Sabrina Carpenter, all of Tiktok, and even presidential candidate Kamala Harris have committed to brat summer, increasing its popularity.
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Charli XCX’s album "Brat" sounds like it would be played in a bar or a club, even with songs like “So I” that include depressing lyrics such as "Why did I push you away?" However, most of the lyrics are similar to a verse found in the song "360"
"That city sewer slut's the vibe
Internationally recognized
I set the tone, it's my design
And it's stuck in your mind
Legacy is undebated
You gon' jump if A. G. made it
If you love it, if you hate it
I don't f*cking care what you think"Lyrics like these—along with the club beats found in most of the songs—promote a party atmosphere, and the mindset of being a little bit selfish, narcissistic and gross, while also very confident in yours
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During this especially chaotic election, from Donald Trump being shot to Joe Biden stepping down and nominating Kamala Harris in place of him, one of Harris’ key campaign strategies has been to market herself as a brat. This strategy is very interesting; however, it makes sense because the "brat" idea is essentially feminism. As Charli XCX said, you’re only really a true brat “if you’re acting out against something that’s made you feel a little bit insecure.” The feminism aspect of this movement does not stem from being disrespectful, it comes from women pushing back against sexist gendered expectations that say women should be classy and considerate. Kamala Harris is also changing how women are viewed by running for presidential office. Charli has even posted on Twitter that "Kamala is Brat."
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Sabrina Carpenter has also contributed to this new era of "bratism" with her 2 new singles, “Espresso” for example has the lyrics:
"Now he's thinkin' 'bout me every night, oh
Is it that sweet? I guess so
Say you can't sleep, baby, I know
That's that me espresso."
A lot of songs make women seem submissive and like men have all the power, but Carpenter is confident in herself and in her position of power over men. Meanwhile, "Please Please Please" lyrics include lines like:"Heartbreak is one thing /My egos another /I beg you don't embarrass me" and
"If you wanna go and be stupid / Don't do it in front of me."
These lyrics demonstrate Carpenter’s confidence in herself and show her she respects herself and knows that she deserves the best. She also contributes to the brat movement by doing what she wants and working for herself.
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Chappel Roan is another rising new artist, gaining popularity after opening for Olivia Rodrigo on her tour. She has many hit songs, such as “Good Luck Babe,” “After Midnight,” “Hot To Go,” and more that are played on the radio often. The song "Femininomenon" especially contributes to brat summer concept and has also been used in Kamala Harris's campaign. The idea of the song is that women need to takeover, and includes lyrics such as: "Ladies, you know what I mean /And you know what you need and so does he / But does it happen? (No) / Well, what we really need is a femininomenon”
These lyrics contribute to the whole "brat" idea because these women are acting for themselves and making sure everyone else is acting right to fit their standards.