Why Everyone is Having a Brat Summer? | The Genius Behind Charli XCX's Album Rollout
2024 has been the biggest year for pop since 2016, with an explosion of releases that have dominated the music scene. On June 6th alone, we saw the release of Ariana Grande’s “Boy Is Mine” music video, Charli XCX’s album “brat,” Billie Eilish’s “Chihiro” music video and “Please Please Please” song and video, and “Close to You” by Gracie Abrams. Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Charli XCX have been the star girls of pop this summer. Let's dive into the standout elements behind Charli XCX’s latest release and explore why everyone is having a Brat Summer.
The Initial Announcement
On February 28th, Charli XCX announced her new album on Instagram, revealing the title, number of songs, album length, and that it was coming this summer. One day later, she released “von dutch,” the first single from the album campaign.
Announcing the album almost 3.5 months in advance was an interesting choice. In an era of oversaturation, many artists announce their projects closer to the release date to avoid losing people’s attention. However, pop superstars like Charli XCX often announce their projects months in advance to build sustained hype.
The Pre-order
The official pre-order for the album launched on April 3rd, giving Charli XCX two months to drive pre-orders and build awareness. Over the next few months, a series of moments helped promote the forthcoming project.
Social Media Engagement
To engage her audience online, Charli XCX launched the Brat Generator, an online tool allowing fans to create their own versions of the album cover using custom text in the same album formatting. This tool activated fans online and contributed to the social conversation around the album. Many Gen Z fans have been changing their profile pictures to the "brat" theme using the Brat Generator, showing their support and creating a unified online presence.
Additionally, Charli XCX utilized a private Instagram account called @360_bratt to share behind-the-scenes content and exclusive offerings.
Physical Products
Physical products were a significant part of the rollout, with 14 different kinds of vinyl, including one with special diary entries written during the album creation process. One vinyl was only available to followers of the private Instagram account @360_bratt, and others were sold in partnership with Target and various record stores.
On June 4th, the album was released early at record stores across the country during exclusive listening parties, a brilliant way to engage fans and activate the social media of those record stores for additional awareness. A few weeks after the album dropped, Charli XCX continued the physical releases with a "brat" beach towel launched on July 15th.
Out of Home Promotions
Fans on social media shared content of different kinds of vehicles in the unique “brat” lime green to promote the album. This creative approach to out-of-home promotion caught the attention of passersby and added an element of surprise to the campaign.
Press
The press portion of the rollout included multiple magazine covers from Rolling Stone UK, British GQ, Vogue Singapore, The Face Magazine, and more. Billboard also announced Charli XCX as the face of their new issue. The campaign featured interviews with outlets such as iHeart Radio, BBC Sounds, and Resident Advisor. Notably, several magazine covers were in different countries, promoting Charli XCX and the new project internationally.
Brand Partnerships
On May 17th, Charli XCX and Marc Jacobs announced her involvement in their campaign for the Sack Bag. This partnership further extended her reach into the fashion world, aligning her with a well-known and respected brand.
Live Performances
Performing in front of fans continues to be crucial, and Charli XCX's rollout included significant moments. She made her Coachella debut, performed at Primavera Sound festival in Spain, and announced a nationwide tour with Troye Sivan. She also performed a Boiler Room set in March in Brooklyn, NY, which garnered 40,000 RSVPs.
Overall Impact
The comprehensive rollout helped Charli XCX sell 77,000 album equivalents in the first week, marking the biggest album debut of her career and charting at #3 on the Billboard Top 200 charts. Charli's influence also extended into political activism, as her support for Kamala Harris's presidential campaign during the album rollout showed the power of using social media to connect with younger voters. Kamala Harris's campaign headquarters even rebranded their Twitter banner to "Kamala is brat," and Charli XCX tweeted, "Kamala IS brat." This campaign not only boosted album sales but also demonstrated Charli XCX’s ability to influence a wide audience.
Rough Timeline
Here’s a rough timeline of key posts and events from Charli XCX’s rollout:
2/19 - The Face Magazine cover
2/28 - Official “brat” album announcement
2/29 - “von dutch” song + video release
3/2 - Brits Awards
3/28 - Boiler Room set
4/1 - Vogue Singapore cover release
4/3 - “brat” pre-order
4/3 - UK arena tour announcement
4/4 - “club classics” and “b2b” song release
4/12 - Coachella performance
4/17 - Announce nationwide tour with Troye Sivan
5/8 - Met Gala attendance
5/10 - “360” song + video release
5/16 - Rolling Stone UK magazine cover announce
5/17 - Marc Jacobs partnership announce
5/31 - British GQ cover announce
6/2 - Primavera Sound festival performance
6/6 - “brat” album release
7/15 - “brat” beach towel launch
Charli XCX’s approach for “brat” demonstrated a fresh and impactful way to engage audiences. By using innovative content, strategic partnerships, and a strong social media presence, she ensured her music reached a wide audience and remained a hot topic of conversation. This campaign not only boosted album sales but also reinforced Charli XCX’s position as a cultural icon.
Written By ~ Anisha Putcha