Written by Will Simonds and Chanel Estrada
“Yes, I’m messy in a girlish kind of way,” stated Terry O’Hara upon being prompted as to how he feels about the Brat-inspired messy-girl persona. Most members of the Stevenson community doubtlessly remember Phillip Koshi’s announcement during the opening assembly, in which he proudly and unabashedly wished that the entire community had had a Brat summer. He then continued to expand on this statement, further branding it into our minds, with more notable “brain rot” terms such as “skibidi” (a reference to the popular internet video series “Skibidi Toilet.”) and “no cap,” but while those were understood by most attendees, the initial reference to Brat Summer was not. Here is an in-depth explanation of what Brat is and why it was so impactful as to possess Phillip Koshi to include it in an announcement.
Brat Summer is a trend inspired by British singer Charli XCX's hit album “Brat.” Released on June 7, 2024 and reaching 3 on the Billboard charts, Brat became an overnight sensation. Brat became the anthem for party animals and cool girls alike. Gen Z branded this summer all over the media as the Brat Summer. A summer where you could be anyone you want, a party girl or a completely messy girl. Many people were able to relate to the Brat album because it preached being your ethical self and not trying to conform to any societal standards but instead having fun and partying. Charli XCX further explained the meaning of her song in a TikTok video:
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 a brat. You’re a brat. That’s a brat.
So, did you live a Brat Summer?
Student Scout Davenport-Gross, when prompted as to whether or not she experienced a Brat summer, immediately began to reference the recreational aspects of her life, stating, “My summer was lit, I went to like 20 concerts. Yeah, that’s pretty brat. Very bratty.” When further prompted on the issue, she referenced the disorganized aspects of her life: “I’m a very messy girl, yes.” We then inquired as to how she felt about Brat’s representation of “Messy girl” culture, to which she responded: “[Brat] is a messy girl, but like a messy girl who values herself. Not [messy girl] in the way that she has no self-respect.” However, not all students agree that the influence of Brat was inherently positive. Claire Lee, a junior, described Brat and Brat Summer in a negative light, claiming “Brat summer as a whole means doom scrolling on insta reels.” She followed this with a description regarding how Brat Summer has provided a cultural opportunity to endorse hard drug use and depraved party culture.
Interestingly, only some students who claimed they had experienced a Brat summer had listened to the album itself. Galen Merigliano, an avid supporter of Brat, a self-proclaimed “Charli’s Angel,” and someone who’s “been living Brat summer for the past eight years,” commented on this phenomenon.:
I think I love this idea, but I think there is like a real, how do I put this? There's like a real latching of people onto the current zeitgeist, there's a latching to an idea or a phrase, in which people have a feeling of some sort of emotiveness, but they cannot define this. And I think we're losing touch with our actual yeah sense of why exactly it is that it is so important to define a thing, especially a feeling, yeah. And I think people look within themselves and say, Hey, what about Brat? Am I identifying with and do I identify with it, or do I just want to be part of this cultural moment?
He expressed concern that the cultural impact caused by the album has overshadowed the album itself, especially because it’s such a personal album for Charli. Following this, Merigliano was prompted to discuss the themes of femininity present on the album, to which he added:
In my opinion, this is, like, this is Charli's most honest and straightforward album. And to me, I read this as a personal, personal album, and it secondarily expresses all of these things that you're stating. But I think there is such a serious bit of acceptance in this album, which is why I think it's so popular and so people are clinging to this idea. But, yeah, I think the main thing is that it's relatable, and even if you are not this person, age mid-30s, going to this place, and seeing your friend's children for the first time, and being like, oh, this should be me. How important is my career?
However, despite Merigliano’s worries regarding the way that this trend could end up washing away the album itself, his tone was generally hopeful, claiming that the personal meaning of the album would last far longer than the trend itself and that in the future it would still be regarded for its influence. Quinn Bakker also spoke on its musically focused influence: “It’s bringing us back to the golden age of pop. Britney music. Early 2000’s.” She spoke on how this reversal within the pop genre is the main draw to the album, and it will be what remains in the end.
Beyond aesthetics, Brat Summer transcended TikTok and became associated with the most unlikely person: Kamala Harris
It was a warm sunny day when Charli XCX went on Twitter to show her support for Kamala Harris by stating in her tweet, “Kamala IS Brat”. The post went viral, currently having approximately 48 million views. The tweet spurred many posts and videos featuring Kamala Harris and songs from Charli XCX’s album. Kamala Harris's team also embraced the Brat memes using them in their campaigns.
Brat Summer has been an influential piece of media that has impacted millions of Gen Z and even political figures to be their most authentic selves.
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