As music obsessives here at Feed Media Group, we love to geek out on music trends and pop culture. Watching Charli xcx’s brat universe capture media attention worldwide has made for one fun summer. Taken both from lyrical content and her dance club sound, “brat” has become a cultural phenomenon anchored by an alternative pop star breaking through to the mainstream well over a decade into her music-making career. Charli xcx appears to be next in line for the crown of dance-pop’s go-to hitmaker, and we’ve long recognized this genre as one of the most popular for fitness music programming. So we are excited to take the opportunity to curate an exclusive brat-inspired music station for workouts, featuring new music from Charli xcx and other high-energy hits.
So, what is brat?
In today’s social media-driven world, internet culture and music go hand in hand. The proliferation of subculture movements into the mainstream is happening faster than ever, and you’ve got to know the lingo to keep up. On June 7th, Charli xcx released her sixth studio album, BRAT, and ushered in a new era of pop culture deemed “brat summer.” With its simple black font on a bright lime green background, the imagery was easily co-opted by brands, and even political campaigns, to associate themselves with the cool, confident, party girl energy of Charli xcx and her dance-pop hits. Brat works because it represents both ends of the binary: equal parts self-confidence and self-doubt, blunt but shiny, volatile but playful, misguided but with good intentions. Somehow it encapsulates the push and pull of life in 2024 soundtracked by heavy bass and quirky synths.
Brat & today’s dance-pop
Many were introduced to Charli xcx as a featured artist on Icona Pop’s 2012 smash “I Love It” and Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy.” Charli was also a songwriter on both those tracks, and at the time was developing her songwriting skills while playing music in East London’s underground rave scene. Charli’s style combines heavy dance beats with a stylized lyrical quality that sets her apart from DJ/producer-driven dance and highly-palatable pop. Dance-pop is an interesting subgenre caught between two worlds (very brat), it relies on club-ready beats while needing to have pop sensibilities and an earworm quality, which makes it perfect for fitness. Innate dance music characteristics like high energy and BPM are essential for motivation and keeping pace during cardio workouts.
Music for fitness is brat
Keeping Charli xcx’s music stylings in mind, we created the brat radio station by focusing on the brat summer energy and including collaborators and other artists that embody the brat attitude. Current viral hits from the album like “360” and “Apple” were no-brainers. It includes songs from dance-pop peers like Chappel Roan and Dua Lipa. To honor pioneers of dance-pop who are brat in their own right, we added songs from classic pop divas you’re sure to recognize and enjoy. Brat also includes an element of swagger more associated with female hip hop artists, and lyrically, Charli xcx herself sometimes writes in a more spoken versus melodic cadence. Accordingly, you’ll hear a couple of today’s hottest rappers who fall under brat’s lime green umbrella. Meant to amp up your workout, Feed.fm’s brat radio station will have you sweating harder with a whole new attitude.
Preview brat radio
Brat for brands
As longtime fans of Charli xcx, it’s been exciting to see “brat” take the world by storm. Our fitness customers are going to love the exclusive brat radio station we’ve curated to celebrate this exceptional artist. This station is perfectly timed to keep workout soundtracks fresh and highly motivational, carrying the summer’s energy into fall exercise programs and routines.
If you’re a Feed.fm fitness customer or want to start streaming brat radio in your app, talk to a Feed.fm music specialist.
4 min