Keep Bumpin’ That: A Year of Brat

It’s been one year since we started living that life. “Brat,” the sixth studio album by British pop queen Charli XCX, was released on June 7, 2024 and as someone whose “On Repeat” playlist has been topped by its lead single “Von Dutch” since it came out, I can assure you that it’s as relevant as ever. 

The “party 4 u” singer has been keeping busy ever since dropping the iconic album 365 days ago. In addition to the release of the music video for the aforementioned single, XCX released an underwear-filled video for “Guess” featuring Billie Eilish as well as for album opener “360” and for the endlessly repeatable earworm that is “Von Dutch,” which saw the singer pantslessly running away from the paparazzi in an airport, inevitably culminating in her dropping off the wing of an aircraft into a baggage cargo truck. No doubt about it, the diva was serving! 

XCX also got busy on her wildly popular “Sweat” world tour—co-headlining with Australian singer Troye Sivan in a back-and-forth-style set that saw both pop moguls performing fan favorite songs for large, adoring audiences. She also performed at several festivals including Coachella, Lollapalooza, and, most recently, Primavera, where she performed against a backdrop of the Brat album artwork—complete with a scratched-out name and “burning curtain” effect, possibly hinting at an upcoming release and new era. 

“Brat Summer” took the world by storm this time last year, the phrase going heavily viral as girlies and gays around the world celebrated what felt like a liberating summer chock full of fun and bratty behavior. XCX went viral with a three-word tweet when she informed the world that “Kamala IS brat,” showing her support for the 2024 presidential candidate. Unfortunately, the endorsement wasn’t enough to combat Ole Yam Tits’ eventual victory and ascent back into power in the American government, but nevertheless the effort was appreciated. Brat was the word heard around the world, with even boomers becoming aware of the juggernaut that is Brat. 

A year later, Brat still feels fresh and is an exciting, fun listen. Here’s to another iconic Brat Summer, and long live Brat!