Brat summer forever — or is it? In the nearly two years since the phenomenon took the world by storm, we’ve gotten two albums, countless iterations of the famous Brat wall, an A24 film, and even a Cash App card for all of our most necessary purchases. But all good things must come to an end, and by the looks of Charli xcx’s recent Instagram activity, it seems like the sun may have finally set on the summer craze once and for all.
On Feb. 23, fans noticed that the British pop star had deleted — or archived, there’s no way for us to know — all of the photos that once lived on her IG alt, @360_brat. Once upon a time, this account played a vital role in the Brat rollout, with Charli using it to share album teasers and Brat wall updates. Now, all we’re left with are our collective memories. (She also changed the profile picture to a photo of a concrete wall, which feels equally significant.)
Shortly after her deleting/archiving spree, the singer took to the account to share one final post: a cryptic message straight from the Notes app. “The only reason I am where I am is because of you, seriously,” she writes. “Thank you for everything; for believing in me, for understanding my nuance, for caring. It’s been so special. I love you all so much! See you next time.”
Twisting the knife even further, Charli also took to X to share a bittersweet final statement on the matter: “You can’t dread the end when it’s over <3.” (Side note: was her account always locked? Another mystery for another day.)
Well, there you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth. The Brat era is officially over, though its impact on music and culture will live on forever. Who knows? Maybe this year we’ll have a Wuthering Heights summer.
