Vice President Kamala Harris may not yet have the Democratic presidential nomination, but an endorsement from a pop star that made waves this summer could help her garner support among younger voters.
Support from the political left swiftly spread after President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race, but excitement over a possible Harris run seemed to reach a fever pitch after British singer Charlie XCX spoke out online that night.
Defending Harris Referring to her latest studio album, “Brat,” the “365” singer told her 3.6 million followers on X (formerly Twitter) that “Kamala’s a brat.”
The tweet had reached more than 30 million people by Monday afternoon.
The call may have sounded mean to the layperson, but to those in the know, calling Harris a “brat” was as strong an endorsement as ever.
Since the album dropped in June, parts of the internet have been flooded with “Brat” references, with many people dubbing the season “Brat Summer.”
Political insiders who understood the reference used their platforms to highlight how influential Charlie’s endorsement could be with young voters deeply unhappy with the Biden vs. Donald Trump rematch.
When Gen-Z activist David Hogg spoke out, He posted“The impact that this one tweet had on young people’s votes cannot be small.”
Commentator Yashar Ali agreed, telling his followers: “This is serious.”
Team Harris enthusiastically embraced the social media endorsement, even changing the banner on her X account to mimic the minimal text on “Brat’s” slime-green album cover.
The campaign account was quick to follow the singer, who is known for her party girl persona.
While many were in an uproar over Charlie’s apparent support, others were simply stunned by the online discussion.
“I don’t understand any of this, but I am receiving indications that it’s a good thing,” posted Patrick Dillon, a staffer for former President Barack Obama.
Asking the tough questions, The Bulwark’s Sarah Longwell wondered simply, “What is a Brat?”
Below are some of the best memes and reactions.
