Charli XCX: ‘My parents drove me to raves aged 15’

Pop star Charli XCX has shared an amusing yet insightful memory of her early career, revealing that her parents would drive her to raves when she was just 15 years old. The singer, whose real name is Charlotte Aitchison, was performing at these underground events long before she became the chart-topping artist she is today. She joked about how she managed to convince her parents to drive her, saying, “I just told them, ‘guys, I’ve got swim practice… at 2:00 A.M.'”

Charli’s rise to fame has been marked by her boundary-pushing approach to pop music, and her latest album Brat has only cemented her place as a cultural force. The album, released in June, quickly became a summer sensation, with both its original tracks and remixes contributing to its widespread influence. With the release of Brat, Charli introduced an aesthetic and attitude that became a viral phenomenon.

During an appearance on Saturday Night Live (SNL), where she also served as a musical guest, Charli reflected on how far she’s come since those early rave days. She humorously described herself as a “triple threat” — a term used in England to describe someone who sings, drinks, and smokes. “I’ve come a long way,” she said, adding a playful wink to the audience. Her journey from raves to the main stage has been a testament to her unique blend of authenticity, wit, and creative vision.

The term “brat,” which Charli has fully embraced, became the defining concept of her latest album and its accompanying cultural movement. Throughout her SNL appearance, Charli elaborated on what “brat” means to her: “It’s just an attitude, it’s a vibe.” She explained that being bratty is about embracing vulnerability, being blunt, and keeping it real. The term has resonated deeply with fans, with people across social media using it to describe a rebellious, carefree attitude that rejects perfectionism.

One of Charli’s most notable moments during her SNL monologue was her comparison of bratty behavior to a viral incident involving businesswoman Martha Stewart. Stewart had once made a comment that a journalist who had covered her legal troubles was dead, only for the journalist to later respond, “Hey, I’m alive…” Charli found this exchange to be a perfect example of brat behavior, highlighting how being unapologetically blunt and real is at the core of the concept.

In her words, “Brat summer has been a crazy experience,” referring to the widespread adoption of the brat attitude throughout the summer months. This cultural moment took on a life of its own, with millions of posts, memes, and dance videos flooding social media, cementing Charli’s influence on a generation of young people looking for a way to express their frustrations and their freedom.

While Charli has described brat as someone who might “have a breakdown but kind of party through it,” she also emphasized that the term is all about embracing one’s imperfections. “Being brat is about being honest, being vulnerable, and owning who you are,” she explained. The brat aesthetic has become a rejection of the polished, curated looks of other trends, like the “clean girl” aesthetic, which is centered around looking effortlessly feminine and well-kept.

On SNL, Charli also touched on how anyone can embrace the brat attitude. She explained, “Anyone can be brat. It’s about keeping it real, having fun, and being confident in your own skin.” Charli’s definition of brat extends beyond just her own persona — it’s a movement that invites others to let go of societal expectations and just be themselves.

The term “brat” has become so influential that it was recently crowned the Collins Dictionary Word of the Year. The dictionary defines “brat” as someone who embodies a “confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude,” capturing the essence of what Charli has come to represent. Her bratty persona and her unapologetic approach to life and art have made her a cultural icon.

Fans have embraced this “brat” mindset, taking it to heart in their daily lives. For some, it’s about rejecting societal norms and embracing their true selves, imperfections and all. Charli’s ability to define this attitude and inspire others with it is what has made her not just a pop star, but a cultural figure whose impact extends far beyond music.

In the end, Charli XCX’s message is simple yet powerful: be unapologetically yourself. Whether it’s through her music, her performances, or her personal style, Charli embodies the spirit of the brat — bold, honest, and fearless.