Charli xcx and her sixth album, BRAT(Atlantic), are the subjects of a New York Times deep dive that shines a spotlight on the album’s immense cultural impact.

The project, which became Charli's highest-charting album at #3, “resonated more widely than any of Charli’s previous releases, in large part because it provided a potent alternative to some of pop music’s prevailing trends just at the moment audiences were beginning to tire of them," notes Times critic Lindsay Zoladz. “While [other artists’] recent albums … treated self-care and introspection as a kind of therapeutic salvation, Charli shifted hard into goblin mode, unfurling a litany of barely euphemistic drug references and proudly owning her messiest contradictions.”

As noted in the story, BRAT started popping up in the most unusual places—from Kamala Harris' presidential campaign to the Green Party of England and Wales' election efforts. "Brat" was also deemed the Collins English Dictionary's word of the year, while Forbes called "Brat summer" one of 2024's "biggest pop culture moments."

BRAT is nominated for multiple Grammys, including Album of the Year. Charli is also up for Record of the Year ("360"), Dance/Electronic Album, Pop Duo Performance ("Guess" f/Billie Eilish), Pop Solo Performance ("Apple"), Dance Pop Recording ("Von Dutch"), Music Video ("360") and Recording Package.

Read the full NYT story here. We will resume working on our own culture-shifting work, BRATWURST.