Kamala Harris Is Having A Brat Girl Summer. What Does It All Mean?

Kamala Harris has revamped her campaign’s online image by tapping into a popular social media trend inspired by pop star Charli XCX. Known for her vibrant and rebellious persona, Charli's "Brat" album cover has become the unexpected muse for Harris's latest campaign strategy. Yes, you heard it right!

Charli XCX, whose sixth studio album "Brat" features a distinct lime green cover with the word "brat" in a simple Arial font, publicly showed her support for Harris with a tweet that quickly went viral.

The tweet, "Kamala IS brat," garnered almost nine million views within just four hours. This endorsement came shortly after President Joe Biden announced he was stepping out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Harris as the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Capitalising on Charli's backing, Harris’s campaign has undergone a noticeable transformation. Her social media presence now features a new lime green profile picture, and the campaign account has been rebranded as "Kamala HQ." This change mirrors the Brat album's eye-catching aesthetics, aligning Harris's campaign with the energetic and rebellious spirit of Charli’s music.

What Is The ‘Brat’ Aesthetic All About?

The "Brat" album artwork is a stark contrast to the polished "clean girl" look often celebrated on platforms like TikTok. Charli describes "brat" as a concept embracing a more raw and honest persona—someone who is a little messy, rebellious, and unapologetically themselves. In her own words, Charli explains that being a "brat" means being “a little bit volatile, like, does dumb things,” yet remains genuine and lively.

The #bratsummer trend, inspired by Charli’s album, has gained significant traction on TikTok, with nearly one million posts. The trend's lime green theme has been widely adopted by individuals and brands alike, reflecting its influence across social media.

Harris’s campaign has not only adopted this trend but has also begun integrating memes and casual language into its online strategy. By reposting memes and even some edgy content, the campaign is clearly aiming to resonate with younger, trend-savvy voters.

Recent weeks have seen Harris supporters creating viral videos that mix clips of her speeches with Charli’s music.

Also, one of the latest viral videos features Kamala Harris sharing a memorable story about her mother at a White House event in 2023. She recalled how her mother would sometimes say, "I don’t know what’s wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?" The message was about understanding one’s place in the world and appreciating past experiences.

In response, Harris’s supporters have started posting memes featuring coconut trees. Read more about here The Viral 'Coconut Tree' Meme 

The rebranding effort extends beyond social media. Following Biden's withdrawal from the race, the Biden-Harris campaign page on X (formerly Twitter) has been updated to reflect the new "Harris for President" identity. The campaign has filed new documents with the Federal Election Commission, officially transitioning from "Biden-Harris HQ" to "Harris for President," marking a shift in Harris’s role from vice president to presidential candidate.