A little messy? That’s brat. Like to party? That’s brat. Feeling yourself but then also having a breakdown? That’s brat, according to singer Charli XCX, whose latest album, Brat, has sparked a trend on social media that has seeped into popular culture, from late-night talk shows to Canadian politics.
TikTok has been flooded with users sharing parts of their so-called “brat summer” and reposting dances to Charli’s viral song, Apple. “It’s very honest. It’s very blunt. Little bit volatile,” the English singer said in a TikTok video, explaining her new music.
What is “brat summer”?
According to Urban Dictionary, the unofficial source for modern colloquialisms, brat summer is “an unapologetic party or ‘messy’ girl aesthetic for the summer based on the vibes of Charli XCX’s new album, Brat.”
It often includes “a hot yet trashy appearance and a lighter and sunglasses always on hand,” inspired by the release of the eponymous album on June 7.
“It’s about this sort of behaviour that everybody adopts on the internet, whether you’re a Twitter troll or whether you’re dancing to Addison Rae on TikTok. There is this element of unabashed, shameless, Me-centric content that is being made, but I also think behind that is a lot of people who use that as a protective layer,” she told Rolling Stone.
“Brattiness is a cloak. You’re only a brat if you’re acting out against something that’s made you feel a little bit insecure.”
How has brat summer infiltrated Canadian (and U.S.) politics?
This week, the trend made its way into Canadian politics. Steven Guilbeault, the Liberal MP for Laurier—Sainte-Marie, referenced brat summer on social media platform X.
“Affordable housing IS brat,” he captioned a post on July 30.
The post included an animated GIF showing the words “brat summer” before the word “brat” was crossed out and replaced with “housing summer.” Then the video showed headlines from various articles about more funding for Montreal housing and more units being built.
Director of Communications for the Conservative Party of Canada Sarah Fischer responded to Guilbeault’s post.
“Huh? Your attempt at being relevant won’t cover up your epic failure or the fact that housing starts decreased by 9 per cent in June,” she wrote on X.
Conservative MP for Calgary Nose Hill Michelle Rempel Garner also replied on X with a much shorter message, calling Guilbeault’s post “cringe.”
Meanwhile, Charli XCX appeared to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris, who is also in the running for the U.S. presidency against former president Donald Trump. In a post on X, the singer wrote: “Kamala IS brat.”
Who else is having a brat summer?
Brat summer has been cemented into popular culture, especially with one of the album’s most popular songs, Apple. The trending dance that accompanies the song has been performed by celebrities, athletes and even a late-night talk show host.
Stephen Colbert put on a show for his audience, doing the viral dance on a July 22 episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
U.S. Olympic athlete Tyler Downs also did the dance for his followers on TikTok, as did Brazilian Olympic gymnasts Rayan Dutra and Camilla Gomes.
Actress Brooke Shields gave the dance a try, and so did TV personality Lisa Rinna. The long list of celebrities who have joined in on the trend continues to grow, including Eva Longoria, Kerry Washington, and actors from the recently released Twisters film, Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Anthony Ramos.
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