Charli XCX might’ve just soft-launched the end of an era, Tale Tellers. Earlier this week, a mysterious billboard popped up near the Coachella desert, and of course, fans are spiraling into full-on Brat panic mode.
The billboard (which Charli also shared on her private Instagram account) is giving classic Brat — that neon green that practically screams Brat Girl Summer — with the word ‘Brat’ slapped right in the middle. But *plot twist*: it’s all scribbled out. Like, black marker energy, straight-up cross this out and move on vibes. No explanation. No context. Just pure chaotic Charli energy.
Now, fans are freaking out and asking the big question: Is the Brat era officially over? Is it time to throw out the tooth gems and Von Dutch hat? Is the hot mess dress code no more?!
Is Charli xcx Teasing a New ‘Anti-Brat’ Era?
Let’s unpack. Charli’s Brat rollout has been a wild ride — from the iconic lime green billboards to the Addison Rae scream. I mean, even the Collins Dictionary dubbed “brat” as its word of the year in 2024.
But this scribbled-out billboard moment feels like a turning point. Like when Taylor Swift deleted all her Instagram posts before dropping Reputation — it’s giving rebrand. It’s giving Charli is cooking something new, and y’all aren’t ready.
Some fans think this might be her way of saying goodbye to the Brat aesthetic and ushering in a new phase — maybe even a softer not-so-messy Charli? Perhaps her Coachella set won’t feature any Brat tracks at all. In February, the singer’s producers even said her upcoming album was going to be “anti-Brat.”
“Chatting to Charli now, there is a desire in her to do the complete opposite thing again, which is very in keeping with her ethos. Some of the conversations we’re having and music we’ve been playing around with the last couple of months have been completely the opposite,” producer A.G. Cook told Grammys.com.
Let’s not forget Charli recently shared a cryptic Instagram post on Sunday (Apr 5) with the caption, “funny thing about desire… if it’s not cruel, it’s not pure.” Ofc fans assumed these were new lyrics to a new song!
“Looks like the BRAT era is over,” one X user speculated, while another wrote, “She’s ending the Brat era omfg.”
Charli XCX is Teasing a Performance with Sky Ferreira
Meanwhile, others just think Charli’s trolling fans. Some think the billboard is her way of teasing a performance of Cross You Out alongside Sky Ferreira. I mean, the song title kinda says it all…
Either way, this cryptic billboard was clearly designed to send stan Twitter (and myself) into a full existential crisis. Is Charli about to drop another project? If so, I’m interested in the direction she’s going to take post-Brat era.
Maybe Charli is just going to perform at Coachella with a surprise guest? Is she just doing performance art for the vibes? Who knows! One billboard, so many questions!
Whether it’s the end of Brat or just a cheeky stunt, Charli is absolutely keeping us on our toes. So buckle up, Angels — the next era might be loading… and it’s probably going to slap.
The 360 singer is set to hit the Coachella stage on Saturday April 12th.
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