NEWS
Charli XCX has confirmed the official death of ‘Brat‘ summer, and revealed who she wants to take over this year.
Following its release last year, ‘Brat‘ quickly evolved into a cultural phenomenon, with both the concept of ‘Brat’ summer and the record’s simple lime green artwork becoming a meme as fans worldwide embraced the album’s hedonistic aesthetic and attitude.
The album’s impact even extended beyond the pop world and worked its way into Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, sparking a wave of serious political pundits trying and failing to explain the album’s ethos.
Now, though, it appears Charli has officially declared the summer of ‘Brat’ over, and has passed the torch to a host of her peers.
Closing her Coachella weekend two set on Saturday (April 19), Charli played her Icona Pop collaboration, ‘I Love It’, as the giant screen behind her on stage showed the text: “maybe it’s time for a different kind of summer?,” before listing the artists and directors primed to take over this year.
The list consisted of acts with recently released projects or new releases on the horizon, including Lorde, Addison Rae, PinkPantheress, Haim, Pulp, Aidan Zamari, Yung Lean, Ethel Cain, David Cronenberg, Kali Uchis, Perfume Genius, Sean Price Williams, Rosalía and Ari Aster.
Also on the list were Kogonada, Caroline Polachek, Paul Thomas Anderson, Joachim Trier, These New Puritans, Hailey Benton Gates, Turnstile, A$AP Rocky, Darren Aronofsky, Blood Orange, Bon Iver and Celine Song.
As images of the set have begun circulating on the internet, Charli has been sharing them on her Instagram story, seemingly confirming her passing of the torch.
Elsewhere in her weekend two performance, she enlisted Addison Rae for a live rendition of their ‘Von Dutch’ remix.
The singer’s set the previous week saw her joined by a handful of the artists featured on the ‘Brat‘ remix album, ‘Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat‘, with Lorde, Troye Sivan, and Billie Eilish surprising the audience.
She concluded that show with further cryptic messaging on the giant screen above the stage, reading: “Thank you so much Coachella. Does this mean that brat summer is finally over????? … Idk? … Maybe? … yeah cuz duh it was already over like last year. … wait… was it? … NO???… I don’t know who I am if it’s over??? FUCKKKKK…. Wait… I remembered…I’m Charli XCX… and honestly… I just want this moment to last forever…”
As the lights went down, the screen flashed: “PLEASE DON’T LET IT BE OVER.”
In a four-star review of ‘Brat’, NME wrote: “It all paints a picture of who XCX is in 2024. Growing pains, grief and aching doubts come alongside self-confidence, celebration and the knowledge of the place XCX holds in the musical landscape – indeed, she kicks off ‘360’ with the knowing: “I went my own way and I made it / I’m your favourite reference baby”.
“With ‘Brat’, XCX demonstrates that going her own way will always sound pretty good.”
NEWS
Ice Spice has released her new single “Pretty Privilege,” marking a noticeable shift from her signature New York drill-inspired sound. But the change in style isn’t the only thing that’s getting people talking. Fans are once again speculating about the rumored tension between her and Cardi B, a topic that first gained attention when a snippet of the track appeared online.
For those who missed it, Cardi B had previously gone on a rant that included jabs at Ice Spice and her manager. Not long after, Spice previewed “Pretty Privilege,” which featured the lyric, “She might talk s**t on the ’Gram, but she won’t talk it to my face.” That line quickly sparked debate among listeners, with many believing it was aimed at the AM I THE DRAMA? rapper.
This added fuel to speculation that a rivalry might be brewing. During the phone call in question, Cardi B criticized Ice Spice while speaking to her manager, James Rosemond Jr. She later apologized for her remarks about Latto and claimed that Rosemond Jr. was responsible for leaking their private conversation.
Now that the full version of “Pretty Privilege” has been released, Complex reports that other theories have emerged. Some fans believe the song might actually target Brooklyn rapper Stunna Sandy, whom Spice was said to call out in her earlier track “Baddie Baddie.” On that record, she rapped, “I know that she wants to be me / But she is not doing it well,” leading to renewed discussions about hidden disses.
While talk of a feud between Cardi B and Ice Spice isn’t new, both artists have publicly denied having issues in the past. Even so, online chatter continues to shape how fans perceive their relationship. Aside from that controversial phone call, there’s no real evidence to suggest they’re actually on bad terms.
Still, as speculation keeps circulating, the story might take new turns. Whether it’s genuine tension or just fan-driven drama, it’s clear that the Internet has played a big role in keeping the conversation alive. For now, Cardi and Ice Spice don’t seem particularly close, but time will tell if the rumors fade or resurface once again.
