Charli XCX recently opened up about a viral tweet that unexpectedly has become a pivotal moment in Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign.
On July 21, shortly after President Joe Biden announced he would not seek re-election and threw his support behind Harris as the Democratic Party’s nominee, the British pop star—whose real name is Charlotte Emma Aitchison—expressed her excitement with a straightforward tweet: "kamala IS Brat."
The Harris campaign quickly seized the opportunity, sharing a screenshot of her tweet on TikTok, accompanied by a reimagined version of her iconic lime-green "Brat" album cover featuring Harris. The post went viral, resonating with many fans and supporters.
In a recent interview with Vulture, the 32-year-old reflected on the tweet’s unexpected impact and explained that her intention wasn’t to make a political statement but rather to share something “positive and lighthearted.”
However, she acknowledged: “To be on the right side of democracy, the right side of women’s rights, is hugely important to me. I’m happy to help to prevent democracy from failing forever.
“I obviously knew what I was doing. Did I think me talking about being a messy b**** and, like, partying and needing a Bic lighter and a pack of Marlboro Lights would end up on CNN? No.”
The concept of "brat" culture, popularised by Charli XCX, has recently become a talking point, with even major news outlets like CNN and various political commentators trying to decode the meaning behind the Gen Z term.
In essence, "brat" is used as a noun to describe someone who is an icon, embodying authenticity and self-confidence.
Though Charli's "Brat" movement sparked interest among young voters during the 2024 presidential election, she made it clear that she doesn't consider herself "a political artist."
She shared: “I’m not Bob Dylan, and I’ve never pretended to be. My music is not political. Everything I do in my life feeds back into my art. Everything I say, wear, think, enjoy – it all funnels back into my art. Politics doesn’t feed my art.”
In the interview, Charli XCX also opened up about the inspiration behind her track Sympathy is a Knife, which has stirred speculation that it’s about Taylor Swift.
Charli dismissed the rumours and shared: “People will interpret things how they want, but that song is about my own emotions, my anxiety, and the narratives my mind creates when I'm feeling insecure.
“It's about not wanting to be in those situations physically when self-doubt creeps in.”
Recently, Charli and Swift have been competing on the charts, with Swift’s UK-exclusive editions of her album The Tortured Poets’ Department bumping Charli from the No. 1 spot.
Despite the rivalry, Swift praised Charli's unique songwriting to the outlet: "I've been amazed by Charli’s melodic creativity since I first heard 'Stay Away' in 2011. She consistently takes songs to unexpected places, and it's great to see her hard work being recognized."
Their history dates back to 2018 when Charli supported Swift on her Reputation stadium tour. However, Charli later caused a stir by commenting that performing on that tour felt like “waving to 5-year-olds.” She later apologised for the remark.
After Swift surpassed Charli on the charts in June, a group of Charli’s fans chanted “Taylor is dead” during a DJ set in São Paulo, Brazil. Charli quickly addressed the incident on Instagram, urging her fans to stop such behavior.
“This is the exact opposite of what I want in this community,” she wrote. “I will not tolerate it.”
