‘Beyond Brat Summer: The Renaissance of Queer Pop’
“Brat Summer” may be coming to an end, but queer pop’s golden era is just beginning. WORDS BY MICHAEL SHERIDAN The lime green hues, the low-res font… Brat aesthetics have defined this year’s summer, infiltrating social media feeds, fashion and culture.
The so-called “Brat Summer” has reached across the pond, and even into the White House, after Charli XCX declared on Twitter/X: “Kamala IS brat.” But Brat isn’t just an ironic, viral trend, it symbolises something more; the queer pop revolution is here.
For centuries, much of queer culture and music has existed on the fringes of society; hidden from view, on secret dance floors and underground venues.
But the tide has turned. In a similar vein to Sylvester and Village People taking disco from discreet dance halls to established nightclubs, Charli has brought hyperpop from the outskirts to the top of the charts.
