Charli XCX's influence on Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign is undeniable, even if the British singer says it was unintentional.
The “Vroom Vroom” and “Guess” pop star shared her two cents on how her viral album “Brat” and its slime-green aesthetic became a cornerstone of Harris’ social media strategy, clarifying in a recent interview that she doesn’t see herself as “a political artist.”
“I’m not Bob Dylan and I’ve never claimed to be,” he told New York Magazine in a cover story published Monday. “My music is not political… Everything I do in my life feeds back into my art. Everything I say, what I wear, what I think, what I enjoy, it all feeds into my art. Politics does not feed into my art.”
Earlier this year, the British singer (who can’t vote in the U.S.) released her pop album “Brat,” which received critical acclaim and went viral almost instantly on social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok. For weeks, the energetic album inspired viral dances, seemingly endless memes and a wealth of other online content. Then, in late July, “brat” unexpectedly became part of the political conversation.
Hours after President Biden dropped out of the presidential race and voiced support for his vice president, Charli XCX (Charlotte Aitchison) tweeted, “Kamala IS a brat.” Capitalizing on the album’s popularity and online ubiquity, Harris’s presidential campaign quickly adopted “Brat” and its aesthetic, sharing memes and rebranding her @KamalaHQ account in X to mimic the hit album’s cover art. Within weeks, “brat” and its connection to Harris’s campaign’s efforts to appeal to younger voters dominated headlines and became a hot topic on networks, including CNN.
The 32-year-old singer told New York Magazine that she didn't intend her tweet to be an endorsement of Harris, but rather “something positive and lighthearted.” She also said she has come to accept her role in this election cycle.
“Being on the right side of democracy, on the right side of women’s rights, is so important to me,” Charli XCX said. “I’m happy to help prevent democracy from failing forever.”
The singer hasn't been the only celebrity to voice support for Harris amid her campaign against former President Trump. Last week's Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee was a star-studded event that featured appearances by celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Kerry Washington.
