What Comes After Charli XCX's BRAT Summer?

How the rule-breaking pop star could keep her hot momentum going even as the seasons change.

As summer winds down and the cool breeze of demure fall begins to stir, it seems like the reign of BRAT Summer is coming to a close. During the height of the summer, we saw the incredible marketing power of BRAT, from green walls and TikTok challenges to @kamalaHQ going green.¹ Her music has influenced many to do the Apple dance, captivated fans with a star-studded music video, and delivered unexpected remixes that have kept her album buzzing. But as the seasons change, the big question is: how does Charli keep this momentum rolling? 

By the Numbers: The BRAT Scorecard

First off, let’s put things into perspective. BRAT is officially Charli’s most commercial album yet, debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard’s Top 200 (a personal best) and snagging the No. 2 spot on the UK Albums chart. Critics also loved it, making it the highest-scoring album yet of 2024 on Metacritic. Funny enough, for an artist who has a penchant for being an anti-mainstream pop star, this is the project that has brought Charli closer to pop’s center stage (BRAT marked a return to her underground London rave roots, contrasting with her previous album, CRASH, which was her ‘radio-friendly concept album that imagined her as a mega pop sell-out.’)²

And the streaming numbers? Charli has hit a career-high of 46.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify, putting her ahead of Lorde (who, to be fair, is off album cycle) and just a hair behind newcomer Chappell Roan (currently in full promo mode). Charli is riding a wave right now, and when an artist is seeing this level of surge, you can bet their team is thinking about what’s next.  

She’s also been able to land top placements on Spotify editorial playlists (ones curated by Spotify’s editorial team) which allowed her to nearly double the number of people she’s reached through their interactions with these playlists from 72 million to 137 million, just in the past year.

These editorial playlists have large followings and can help expand the song’s reach to new ears. And the higher the song is on the playlist and the longer it stays on, it will quickly amass large streaming numbers. Here are the ones that Charli landed on during this BRAT cycle—it includes everything from workout, gaming, and Gen-Z themed playlists.

Lastly, the reach for organic playlists (ones created by users) continues to see growth after BRAT is released as shown on the below chart. It’s a classic cycle: discover a song on an editorial playlist → fans add it to their playlists → and suddenly it’s everywhere.

So, What Could Be Next? 

Here’s where we start speculating like we’re on Charli’s team.  

1. A New Sound for a New Season?

All over social media, fans are mentioning BRAT Autumn, but what does that sound like? English singer-songwriter, Griff, might have given us a sneak peek with her cover of Apple. It has mellow, introspective vibes that channel Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car and give new meaning to Charli’s lyrics—a more hopeful approach to addressing the ‘rotten apple core’ than the original. It’s ethereal, wistful, and perfect for the season. 

While BRAT embraced a loud, rebellious vibe, a follow-up release could explore a more introspective angle. Imagine a stripped-down or orchestral version of 360 or Apple, reimagined with a full orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall. The contrast would be cool. A new, moodier direction could attract a different audience and create a fresh buzz around her music. 

2. Reinvent the Classics: A Club Classics Remix Album

A lot of this newfound growth is from fans who are listening to songs from her new album. The deluxe track GUESS featuring Billie Eilish has added an impressive +101.6M streams in the past 28 days outpacing 360 (+46.8M) and eclipsing streams from her past catalog such as Boom Clap (+6.0M) and Speed Drive (+5.5M).³ 

Sure, BRAT is pulling in serious streaming numbers, but how does Charli encourage new fans to explore her back catalog?

Imagine a Club Classics remix album where she “brattifies” her past hits like Boom Clap, 1999, Boys, and Baby with a more rave-core sound and clever party-forward lyrics (think 365 as a response to 360). Releasing both the original and the remixed versions of these tracks together can help bridge the gap: audiences who come in for the newer, more rave-focused sound might find themselves drawn to her original pop hits after hearing them in a modern, remixed sound. 

Sidebar: Also shout out A.G. Cook’s and Charli’s production finesse on 365 in the video below. Their ability to create a club experience through sound and visuals—from entering the club, exploring the different side rooms, and transitioning back to the dance floor—is next level stuff.

3. Strategic Collabs: Hey Billie, You There? 

Successful artist collabs can unlock a certain superpower from the songs. Billie literally bulldozes her way into the GUESS music video, creating a fierce energy between the two pop stars on the track. Troye Sivan’s collab with Charli on 1999 is a fixture among their core fans and the two are now touring together.

Charli and Billie are unstoppable in the GUESS music video. Absolutely fierce.

What other collabs can bring an element of surprise and artistry to today’s culture? 

• Chappell Roan: There’s clear audience overlap between Charli and Chappell, and the queer kids would go wild with the release of a fall anthem. The timing would be good. Chappell Roan’s debut album, The Rise And Fall of A Midwest Princess, celebrates its anniversary on 9/22. With the album already at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, her team is likely aiming for the top spot with an anniversary re-release.

• With SOPHIE's posthumous album slated for this fall, a collaboration featuring Charli XCX would be a poignant tribute to the hyperpop visionary.

• Other interesting collaborations would be ROSALÍA (another rule bending artist with an avant-pop sound), Caroline Polachek (fellow experimental pop artist who have made appearances on Charli’s tour), PinkPantheress (merging the overlaps between UK garage sound and hyperpop) and Kesha (her recent releases have been leaning art pop). 

4. Beyond the Music: Double Down on Brand Partnerships

It’s clear that Charli XCX’s recent rise has caught the attention of brands in the fashion world. She’s graced the covers of magazines such as i-D, Vogue, and New York Mag, teamed up with brands like LANEIGE and SKIMS, and fronted H&M’s AW24 campaign. She even made an appearance at the Balenciaga couture show. Charli is stepping into her fashion bag and expanding her presence outside of music. 

Why not build on this by owning the Fall/Winter fashion circuit early next year? Imagine her partnering with YSL for a stunning all-black couture look or appearing as a special guest at Miu Miu’s winter-themed runway. Maybe a capsule collection? There’s a certain bratty fierceness to owning the icy, winter vibes, which could be a way to carry the Bratty Summer energy into the colder months ahead. 

Closing Thoughts

As Charli XCX gears up for her upcoming tour dates and steps into a new season, there are many ways to define what’s next, from exploring new sounds and unexpected collaborations to amplifying her presence in fashion and brand partnerships. She often hints at other upcoming projects on her social media. What else does she have planned and how will she continue to push the boundaries in her music career? Will this be her Grammy era? Here’s to watching Charli break the rules again.

1. Denis, Kyle. “What Can Kamala Harris’ Presidential Campaign Tell Us About the Current State of Pop Fandom?” Billboard, 12 September 2024 

2. Gonzalez, Mary. "What Charli XCX’s Brat means for pop" Dazed Digital, 10 June 2024

3. Chartmetric. Spotify streams in the past 28 days (8/14/2024 - 9/11/2024)