What is brat summer? Here's how to live like you're Charlie XCX in Phoenix
The summer of 2023 was all about "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" (but mostly Barbie) and this summer was shaping up to be a Glen Powell summer. That is, until pop star Charli XCX released her new album "Brat" on June 7 and Gen Z declared this a brat summer instead.
Everything is brat right now, and I really do mean everything. The brat queen herself even stated that new presidential candidate Kamala Harris "IS brat" on X, formerly Twitter, on July 21.
If that's not range, I don't know what is.
The term "brat" has been thrown around quite a bit since the album's release, but what does it even mean? And here's how to have a brat summer in Phoenix.
What is brat summer?
Historically, the term brat refers to "an ill-mannered immature person" or is slang for the child of someone in the military.
That's not what it means in Charli XCX's interpretation.
In a TikTok posted on July 1, the British singer-songwriter said, “You’re just like that girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes. Who feels herself but maybe also has a breakdown. But kind of like, parties through it, is very honest, very blunt. A little bit volatile. Like, does dumb things. But it’s brat. You’re brat. That’s brat."
How to have a brat summer in Phoenix
If you're looking to have the brattiest of brat summers in Phoenix, here's a list of all things brat in the Valley:
Get your brat on at the best dance clubs in metro Phoenix. Whether you're into EDM, hip-hop or Charli XCX, there's a dance club for you.
It's the summer of the green color aesthetic to match the simplistic cover art on "Brat." So what better way to have a brat summer than to sip on a bright green matcha? Here's a list of almost every Asian market in the area where you can buy matcha.
Dance in a swarm of fireflies the Fireflies Infinity Mirror Room in the First Floor North Wing of the Phoenix Art Museum.
What gives brat summer better than messy reality TV? Season 6 of "Love Island USA" just ended and if you haven't watched yet, you can binge it all or read our recaps from this season.
Also, if you're crying over the end of "Love Island USA," I can promise you that "The Bachelorette" is just as messy. Here's how you can watch Jenn Tran's season.
Live your best, brattiest life hopping from one essential bar to the next with our handy dandy guide to the 25 most essential bars in the Valley.
if you're a brat on a budget, you could head to Monsoon Market in Phoenix to stock up on snacks and wine to create your perfect fun right at home.
If you're in need of a new wardrobe to fit your new brat aesthetic, spend a day with your besties hitting up local thrift stores to give yourself a fresh look.
Nothing says brat like posting up under a private cabana and having bottle service while you lay by the pool and work on your tan. Here's how you can get day passes for some of Phoenix's best hotel pools.
Summer movie review: 'Deadpool & Wolverine' really delivers. Now can it be over please?
Meredith G. White covers entertainment, art and culture for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. She writes the latest news about video games, television and best things to do in metro Phoenix.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Charlie XCX says it's brat summer. Here's how to have one in Phoenix
