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Endorsements for Kamala Harris have been rolling quickly since Joe Biden announced his withdrawal — chief among that of British pop singer Charli xcx.
On Sunday, she tweeted “kamala IS brat,” which racked up 18 million views. Chronically online Gen Z-ers have been creating meme compilations of Kamala with songs from Charli’s brat album such as “von dutch” and “360” ever since Biden’s disastrous debate performance last month made his demise look likely.
The cover of the album is neon green with “brat” written in lower case black letters. Harris and her campaign were quick to respond. The background of the @KamalaHQ page on X was changed to green with “kamala hq” in black lowercase letters, welcoming the artist’s support.
But what exactly is “brat” and what does it represent? In the weeks since Charli released her album, it’s become a sort of movement on social media among Gen Z users. “You’re just like that girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes,” Charli described as being a “brat” in a TikTok.
The “brat summer” — wearing lime green, hitting the club, being loud and lively, trying to debunk the “clean girl aesthetic” — has taken over the internet, Cockburn’s nieces tell him. The “brat summer” essentials can include “a pack of cigs, a Bic lighter and a strappy white top with no bra,” according to Charli.
And it’s not just viral on the internet — other politicians and businesses have also been capitalizing on the “brat” aesthetic. The UK’s Green Party urged voters to “vote green” by using the brat album cover — and fashion brands such as Kate Spade and the MTA also made their own brat posts.
The meme-ification of brat collided with a clip of Harris recounting a story about her mother during a White House event in 2023. “My mother used to — she would give us a hard time sometimes — and she would say to us, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?’”
The brat summer x Kamala Harris collab will definitely help swing a key Democratic constituency voters in her favor as many find their news and base their opinions off of internet trends on TikTok and Instagram. Hope Kamala has a fabulous brat summer before the inevitable nuclear winter.
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