“Kamala IS brat” is a phrase posted to Twitter by English singer Charli XCX after Kamala Harris became the presumptive Democratic nominee. This endorsement by the popular artist spread fast and was soon embraced by the Harris campaign, entering full meme status in a matter of days.
News anchors and political analysts are now left to try and interpret what it means to be “brat” as the young folk run circles around them online.
What is the Charli XCX brat girl summer?
Before you understand why Kamala is brat, you need to acquaint yourself with the concept of brat girl summer. On June 7, 2024, Charli XCX released her sixth studio album titled Brat, which was well-received by fans and critics alike.
As one of the hottest albums of the season, it wasn’t long before the sweaty months of 2024 were declared “brat girl summer” by Charli XCX fans. Meme scholars and others have defined “brat” as a state of being unapologetically authentic and embracing their intent.
The artist herself had something to say about the definition in a TikTok video.
@charlixcx what it means to be a brat :) #OffTheRecord ♬ Club classics – Charli xcx
“You’re just like that girl who is a little messy and likes to party, and maybe says some dumb things sometimes,” she says.
Other traits include blunt honesty, volatility, and being able to party through it.
But what does ‘Kamala IS brat’ mean?
On July 21, Charli XCX tweeted out “Kamala IS brat” to the world, launching a phenomenon that may influence the history of the U.S.
So why is Vice President Kamala Harris brat?
She certainly has said some things that are not “dumb” but a little weird, and more importantly, very much authentically Kamala. The unusual, vaguely philosophical statements she’s made in some of her speeches—including “what can be, unburdened by what has been” and “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?’”—have become memes of their own, and given her a cult of personality on social media.
This foray into meme culture has fueled her popularity as the new presumptive Democratic presidential candidate for 2024, and it’s not so surprising that she’s caught the attention of young pop culture figures like Charli XCX.
According to NBC News, associate professor at the Berkeley Center for New Media Abigail De Kosnik said that Harris is “plugged in” to pop culture trends. Few, if any, past presidential candidates can make this claim, particularly the ones over the last couple of cycles.
‘Kamala is brat’ meme spread and campaign adoption
With Harris’ pop culture prowess, her campaign was quick to adopt the label of “brat” and incorporate it into her new presidential campaign, which must make up for lost time after replacing President Joe Biden. The Kamala HQ Twitter account changed its profile banner image to say its name in a font and on a background color that mimics the Brat album cover.
Political experts are lauding the move as a way to appeal to the younger left-wing crowd that felt alienated by the Biden campaign as well as a method of deflecting criticism around Harris’ somewhat messy affect. Unlike most politicians, she may be able to come off as authentic in a way that appeals to voters of all ages.
Examples
Related memes:
- Viral trend turns Kamala Harris’s coconut tree meme into the song of the summer
- The ‘I’m With Her’ meme is back
- Kamala Harris cop meme: 2024 edition
- Biden-Harris dropout memes mark the legacy of 2020s political humor
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