BRAT: Adjusting the FEMININE cultural/social landscape 💋

brat set list

BRAT is for the feral club rats who grew up with sequins, cheetah print, toe rings, saddle bags and the square french tip. BRAT is Y2K. It's also very digital/processed music which some people really contest because it's not instrumental or with a harmonious melody. Alas, it tells a story about the current digital age and media affairs with women in pop. It's auto-tuned to the MAX and I'm here for it in typical Charlie XCX fashUN. 

Side note: Listening to the album without context is a mistake. Without mainstreaming Charlie XCX or trying to put her in a box, she is unapologetically refusing 'clean girl' or 'coquette' aesthetic. This album is her personal diary and a homage to the party girl community, the sad girl community and the baddies in general. 

I especially like the rendition of 'The girl, so confusing' version with Lorde. Women should never need to explain their choices but these gals do! They examine the complexities of being a woman in music; how they get pitted against each other, or expected to like each other. Women are way too multifaceted to be boxed as enemies or besties, sometimes we are just amicable or acquaintances. 

'Club classics' howls at dirty rat clubbers. Of course we want to party like Ke$ha and Lindsay Lohan. Enough of that 'healing era' bullsh*t. I want to be feral in bleached blonde hair and an orange tan, handling a vodka cran STAT.  We need this album more than ever right now. 

As women, we are TOLD to be dainty, tiny and clean at present. 2024 is a vicious cycle of new clothing and personas to make women seem appeasing for the male gaze. In the early 2000s, paparazzi were the judge and magazines paid a hefty prize for the pics. Today, social media is food and every aspect of a woman's life; her persona and worth is measured in how well they do at the current trend. This squeamish era is poised by a wellness image and this trend does the opposite mentally, physically and financially. 

I've never followed trends before which you could argue as 'not being in the know' but I see it as belligerence. I like what I've always liked: colourful and loud things, divorced-mum-who-shops-at-Augustine-core. Like what you like and wear it proudly by all means. However, many gravitate towards fitting in, especially young and impressionable girls. How do we instil a sense of individual compass to people? How do we tell women that they are enough with what they have? Role-modelling is hard because we tell people to look up to their elders and those with success, but we also give them an instruction manual for what success looks like on a given person. That is not feasible. 

I guess a sense of self is found in the genres you like, the topics you enjoy, the colours you like, or if you want to go even further; the colours that suit your skin/eye/hair colour the best. It begs the question: if you suddenly had no phone, what would you wear out of the house? What activities would you do? Who are you without an audience? 

So, BRAT unapologetically opposes the current trend and creates a countertrend of smudged liner, fur boots, and partying till dawn. I love opposition and rebellion. I am an Aquarius after all and I will never listen to anyone - Haley xx

Find Charlie XCX's album BRAT on Spotify NOW.