The BRAT Crusade: On Hedonistic Indulgence
Although Charli XCX has announced that ‘BRAT summer’ is officially over, Collins Dictionary perpetuates the neon green phenomenon by crowning BRAT their 2024 Word of the Year. "Characterised by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude", the braless, ciggie-smoking, pill-popping movement is intended to be raw and vulnerable, rejecting the clean-girl perfection of social media. Whilst Charli XCX’s red-wine soaked t shirt and glaring nipples confidently project a hedonistic interest in body-positivity, the sensuality of the BRAT movement, the retieration of "bumpin that", and the return of Y2K indie sleaze forces us to question the ethics of the bratty crusade.
"Should we do a little key? Should we have a little line?"
Charli XCX embodies the kitschy indie sleaze of drug consumption and consumerism, teasing listeners with the sneaky possibility of snorting cocaine in a bathroom in her track ‘365’. The ‘aesthetic’ of taking drugs, symbolised by icons such as Kate Moss, is encompassed in the line "I look hot when I’m (Bumpin’ that)", romanticising the notion of indulgence and quenching the thirst of young wild freedom. Whilst the prospect of dancing in a sticky club, sweat pulsing from "a little line" and music flowing through your veins, seems to purely embody being BRAT, we cannot help but consider how this aesthetic transcends the boundary between having a good time and encouraging taking illegal drugs for the sake of the ‘aesthetic’.
The original BRAT 2024 Arena Tour post featured a small bag (that would usually contain pills) on a black background, putting drug-taking at the forefront of Charli’s BRAT campaign. Later revised with a sandwich in the bag, the incitement of drug-taking withstands, as BRAT arguably takes hedonism to the extreme. Furthermore, the ‘baggie’ reveals a symptom of our need to package art and culture for consumption, as the BRAT experience can be packaged neatly into a tiny pill, in a tiny bag. The negative romanticism of ‘bumpin’ that’ transforms a ‘good time’ into potentially devastating consequences on the psyche of young people inspired by the neon green movement, as they are fueled by the fantasy of the ‘aesthetic’.
"You wanna guess the colour of my underwear"
‘GUESS’, a track pulsing with raging sensuality and temptation, revised with Billie Eilish's husky sultry tones, pioneers a venereal bisexuality that wholly embodies BRAT’s hedonistic attitude. The music video, set against the backdrop of a barely furnished, deserted function room, drips with raw sexual freedom, as the room pulses with glistening skin, slick tongues and swirling alcohol. Scantily dressed people, grubby and garish in their stretched tank tops, smudged eyeliner and damp cigarettes, are reminiscent of an indie-sleazed version of ‘Dirty Dancing’, as a diverse collection of lacey, sheer, a brightly coloured underwear litters the floor, and later, layers into mountainous piles. ‘GUESS’ epitomises young and vibrant sensuality, teasing the listener to "try it, bite it, lick it, spit it", whilst of course, musing the material, shape and colour of Charli XCX’s underwear. BRAT’s perpetual pursuit of pleasure and sensual self-indulgence is positively showcased in ‘GUESS’, invigorating queerness and promiscuity in one catchy track.
"Is it pretty in pink or all see-through?"
The rolling credits of the ‘GUESS’ music video depicts the trampling wheel of a bulldozer, crushing layers of underwear stemming from the mountainous pile of lacies, thongs, and bikini knickers. Reminiscent of fast-fashion graveyards, we are forced to consider whether the return of Y2K and indie sleaze fashion is a positive romanticism, or whether it feeds into society's consumeristic appetite.
The launch of H&M’s A/W 2024 collection this autumn featured Charli XCX as both performer at the London launch show, and model for their new collection, a collaboration which generated backlash based on the ethical grounds of the artist. The collection adorns sheer fabrics and collars, ruffles and a-line forms which interlace indie sleaze and modern professionalism with sparkles and shimmering fabrics, giving the collection a touch of kitsch garishness. Charli is featured on H&M’s website wrapped in nothing but a fluffy leopard print jacket, her eyes peering seductively over the collar, as she captures the glamour of an old Hollywood star.
Whilst the artist clings to the lingering sensuality of California’s cinema sirens, fully embodying the hedonistic sensuality of BRAT, we cannot help but question the ethical implications of collaborating with H&M, a well-known fast-fashion brand who, despite working with suppliers that sign a ‘sustainability commitment’, still continue to use cheap, unsustainable fabrics. The faux-fur Charli XCX wears is made from 65% modacrylic, and 35% polyester, both synthetic fibres made from oil. Although this information can be easily obtained from their website, H&M is still failing to meet the ethical standards of its customers, a thought which transfers into the opinions of fans and listeners of Charli XCX,
As the icon continues to promote the return of Y2K, kitsch, indie sleaze fashion, the ethical implication of our hedonistic consumption must be considered, as we question whether trends such as maximalism and Y2K should be fed for the sake of ‘aesthetic’ at the detriment to our planet. Releasing her revised album Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still Brat last October featuring 20 guest artists, the wave of neon-green continues to influence listeners. Whilst the hedonistic self-indulgence of BRAT seeks to encourage rawness and vulnerability, inspiring listeners to be their unabashed authentic selves, the incitement of drug-taking and following fast fashion trends forces us to reconsider the ethicality of BRAT as it teeters on the edge of multiple moral questions.
Edited by Julia Curry - Music Editor
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