S Poddar
The summer of “brat,” a cultural phenomenon tied to Charli XCX’s breakout album Brat and the buzz surrounding Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, may now be a thing of the past. What began with viral enthusiasm faded in the face of electoral disappointment. Memes intertwining Harris with Charli’s album—highlighted by the singer’s tweet declaring, “Kamala IS brat”—became relics of an era. Yet for Charli’s devoted fans, the ethos of unapologetic self-expression remained alive, as evidenced by their vibrant turnout at London’s O2 Arena, donning lime-green Brat T-shirts on a crisp autumn evening. The show’s central idea mirrored the brat mantra: be yourself and embrace chaos. Charli XCX rewarded this loyalty with an electrifying performance, proving that even in the wake of overexposure, the spirit of brat remains defiant and jubilant.
The production recalled Rosalía’s raw yet precise staging during her 2022 performance at the same venue, blending intensity with the polished execution expected of arena pop.
For Rosalía, the theme was flamenco; for Charli, it was an unapologetic rave culture celebration. A cameraman joined her on stage, capturing intimate close-ups projected onto massive screens, evoking the energy of larger-than-life TikTok clips. Apart from this unique addition and a lineup of surprise guests, Charli commanded the stage alone, with a dynamic presence that underscored her ability to hold an audience’s attention. The setlist was heavily weighted with Brat and its companion remix album, drawing on the music that defines her latest era. Opening with “365,” it established an immediate, high-energy tone with pulsating strobe lights and thundering beats.
Featuring guest artist Shygirl, this serio-comic anthem about the relentless party-girl lifestyle embodied the album’s rebellious spirit. Charli’s live vocals, processed with electronic effects and complemented by pre-recorded tracks, blended seamlessly with the mechanized precision of her music—a fitting parallel to the sleek sports cars frequently referenced in her lyrics. Occasional moments of reflection punctuated the relentless pace. A poignant highlight came during “So I,” dedicated to Sophie, the late producer and frequent collaborator whose influence remains a cornerstone of Charli’s artistry. Another quieter interlude was “Apple,” a sugary electronic tune with an amusing touch: Charli’s fiancé, George Daniel of The 1975, was filmed in the audience attempting its TikTok dance with charming awkwardness. Charli moves across the stage with the same potency she does with her music. The installation consists of a central platform printed with bold lettering – “GIRL”, connected to a smaller thrust stage via catwalk.
She restlessly moves across these space, her choreography playing between poised elegance in voguing and the unbridled chaos of a party getting on top of itself.
A near-wardrobe malfunction during a particularly energetic moment prompted laughter from both the performer and the audience, a perfectly bratty response to an unscripted hiccup. The performance reached its provocative peak during “Guess,” a bass-heavy track that revels in kinkiness. Charli, fully embracing her brash persona, spat on a transparent section of the stage and theatrically licked it up, eliciting a mix of cheers and playful disgust from the crowd. The audience, galvanized by the driving rhythms of the music, responded with equal fervor to Charli. Phones and hands were raised throughout, capturing a collective celebration of the brat ethos. The excitement crescendoed with the encore, featuring a series of guest appearances that took the atmosphere to new heights. Caroline Polachek was a frequent collaborator on the bill, joining Charli to deliver ethereal duets, her haunting vocals adding an otherworldly texture to the set. Next came Swedish rapper Yung Lean, who appeared alongside pop icon Robyn for a remix of “360.” The crowd’s response to Robyn was seismic, and when she stepped forward to perform her 2010 classic “Dancing on My Own,” the audience erupted into euphoric cheers. She finished off the night with a nod to her roots, belting out her 2013 breakout hit “I Love It.” Standing on the thrust stage, she sang under the dramatic downpour of water as she soaked herself while chanting the song’s iconic refrain: “I don’t care, I love it.” It was the fitting end to a show that honored individuality, defiance, and the unquenchable spirit of brat.
While the cultural moment around Brat has perhaps faded, Charli XCX’s London show cemented that its spirit lives on. Her show was more than a concert; it was a reclaiming of the brat philosophy, a testament to how much it still speaks, and a reminder that no matter how messy self-expression can be, it’s always worth celebrating.
