At London’s O2 Arena on Thursday night, “Brat” wasn’t just a title or the name of Charli XCX’s wildly successful album – it was an entire vibe.
As the sold-out crowd filled the venue, the key-lime green from the album cover was everywhere, along with rave-ready accessories and phrases like “bumpin’ that” and “I’m so Julia.” Fans were seen taking photos with flash on and strutting through the venue as though they were on a runway, visibly inspired by Charli’s unrestrained confidence. Despite some delays with drinks, restrooms, and the venue running out of wristbands for those on the floor, concertgoers were determined to enjoy themselves, especially once the club classics began to play.
Charli kicked off the show with the nihilistic anthem “365,” bringing out opener Shygirl for her remixed version. The crowd’s energy was instantly electrifying as they jumped and danced freely, an energy that carried on throughout the 1 hour 45 minute performance. The set, divided into five parts, saw Charli donning a different stunning outfit for each act. The performance moved between tracks from the “Brat” album and its remixes—now a massive phenomenon—and some fan favorites from her earlier work. For example, in the second act, “Unlock It” from the “Pop 2” album was sandwiched between “Club Classics” and “Talk Talk,” all while Charli rose higher and higher on suspended scaffolding. During “Apple,” Charli was known to spotlight someone in the crowd doing the viral TikTok dance, and in a fun twist, her fiancé George Daniel appeared on screen, shyly performing the moves he had previously avoided on social media.
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Even though Charli was the only one on stage, the club-inspired design and strategic camerawork kept the audience engaged. During “Spring Breakers,” Charli went under the stage, singing directly to the camera in a music video-like style. At other moments, the camera was placed beneath the stage, giving fans a unique perspective of Charli’s performance, whether she was spitting lyrics or simply shaking her hips. For the slower “Party 4 U,” she swung around a glowing rope, and during “Track 10,” there was a “Flashdance”-style moment when rain fell from above, drenching Charli, who was dressed in all white.
Given the remix album’s numerous guest features, fans hoped for at least one surprise appearance, and Charli delivered with three. In the final act, Caroline Polachek joined her on stage to perform her remix of “Everything Is Romantic” — with the audience shouting “free bleeding in the autumn rain” — as well as her own “Welcome to My Island.” Before the crowd could even catch their breath, Robyn and Yung Lean appeared, performing their remix of “360,” followed by a heartwarming hug. Robyn then stepped forward for her solo performance of “Dancing on My Own,” prompting ecstatic screams from the crowd. As fans swayed together, Charli looked on, smiling. While everyone had come to see Charli, the joy from both her and the crowd during Robyn’s solo moment highlighted how “Brat” represents a culture and feeling much bigger than the album itself. When Charli closed the show with “I Love It,” the song that helped launch her career in 2013, the night came full circle.
Charli XCX and Caroline Polachek perform at London’s O2 Arena.
