Kamala Harris’ Campaign Embraces Charli XCX’s ‘Brat Summer’

After President Joe Biden withdrew his reelection campaign yesterday, the endorsements have been rolling in for Vice President Kamala Harris to be selected as the Democratic nominee for the upcoming election.

But pop fans were tickled slime green after Harris secured support from none other than Charli XCX, who has inspired the internet and beyond to have a “brat summer” since releasing her album “Brat” last month. Shortly after Biden gave his endorsement of Harris, the singer-songwriter made a declaration of her own: “Kamala IS brat,” she tweeted on X (formerly Twitter).

Over on the profile page of @KamalaHQ, Harris’ official rapid response page for her presidential campaign, the endorsement was clearly welcomed, as its header banner was changed to “kamala hq” in black text over a green background — a nod to the simple yet effective cover art for Charli’s “Brat.”

So what exactly does being a “brat,” at least in Charli’s world, mean? “You’re just like that girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes,” said Charli on TikTok. “Who feels herself but then also maybe has a breakdown but kind of like parties through it, is very honest, is very blunt, a little bit volatile. Does dumb things but it’s brat, you’re brat. That’s brat.”

But beyond Charli’s description, it’s become a culture among fans since her sixth studio album blasted off in June. Having a “brat summer” is a lifestyle — wearing lime green, making DIY clothes to mimic the album cover, hitting the club, being confident and living loudly are just a few signifiers. The album and the culture around it have made it the British artist’s most successful project to date, bowing at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 to become her highest-charting album in the United States.

Of course, there’s no one right way to have a “brat summer,” but Harris’ team embracing the meme could have an influence on Gen Z voters who have been bumpin’ that album for a few months. The meme-ification of “brat” is so ubiquitous, in fact, that it’s already collided with a separate meme of Harris saying, “You think you fell out of a coconut tree?” And if Harris secures the nomination, it’s safe to say “brat summer” could very well become a “brat autumn.”