The New Aesthetic “brat”
Everywhere you go, there is brat. Bold lime green, small simple font, and messy vibes, but full of confidence. brat by Charli XCX is not just an ordinary album, it is a cultural reset. At first, this album is just full of electronic beats, but right now, brat turns into an aesthetic thing. BRAT can take over the internet, people start to use brat’s font for memes, change their photo profile into green neon, and even turn the album’s visual style into outfits and party themes. Brat is really picturing a 2024 vibe, chaotic but still has the little touch of glam.
Brat is a mix of genres between hyperpop, electropop, and pop. This album feels like you are lost in the middle of a club, full of futuristic music and filled with a crowd that knows how to have fun. “360“ is the opening song in this album, and one of the most standout songs among the other. This song is Charli XCX’s version of “I’m That Girl.” It’s full of great energy, sassy, and confident. Listening to this music will have you bopping around in front of the mirror. It features a blend of electronic and dance music elements, despite the cheeky and fun surface level of the lyrics.
Not only is the song iconic, but also the visual design of brat. Although the neon green background hurts the eyes, the album cover’s simplicity just the word “brat” in lowercase, basic font, is what makes it different. “I don’t care, but I also totally do” is the design’s underlying message. After that, brat became a globally recognized brand identity. People start to make memes using brat font, change the background to green neon, and even make their own version of brat with a funny caption. Green brat is everywhere, from posters, merch, to things that are not related to music. Brat green became the new black, instantly recognizable, and iconic. In the middle of pastel and coquet visuals, Charli eagerly uses this visual minimalistic but has an attitude.
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One of the best things about brat is that the album has become a meme format that will last forever. Some people have made hilarious and some have made really personal versions, such as “me after one therapy session = BRAT” or “after crying in the club = still BRAT.” The font is simple, but it doesn’t mean it’s not relatable. Brat is like a breath of fresh air in a world full of pictures and filters. It reminds us that being messy can be cool, too.
The music industry went crazy over Brat as soon as it came out. The album tried to bring back the electronic pop genre after a long time of not being very well known. It set a new standard for pop music with its harsh, industrial sound that was yet easy to dance to. Because BRAT was so raw, edgy, and unrepentant, a lot of other artists began to copy it. It even affected K-pop. Aespa’s “Whiplash” and LE SSERAFIM’s “Crazy” are very similar tunes. Each one has strong electronic beats and bold lyrics.
The event shows how BRAT changed how people saw Charli XCX and the possibilities of pop music. These days, everyone likes electronic pop music, not just a few people. And the most interesting thing is that it all began with an album cover that was just plain green text. Brat shows that in today’s mainstream culture, something simple but honest can become a big deal if it has a strong character like Charli XCX and the guts to say, “Yeah, I’m a brat, so what?”
