Pop icon Charli XCX embarked on her BRAT Arena Tour at Moody Center in Austin, Texas – and it indeed was very brat as the singer proved her party girl status.
Whether you know her from her features with artists like Icona Pop and Iggy Azalea, or you are a new fan because of BRAT, you know the name Charli XCX. The British singer has been around since the days of MySpace – her sound was avant-garde for the time, resonating dark, glitch-pop sounds with a twist. She released her debut album True Romance in 2013, and would gain even more traction writing for other artists (like Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy”). Although she built her audience with album Sucker, her true experimental heard in mixtapes Number 1 Angel and Pop 2.
Now, with BRAT, Charli has fully embraced her avant-garde power and took a chance against mainstream. BRAT is sloppy (in a good way), hyper, emotional – a love letter to club kids and internet freaks. It’s raw and electronic, a great fusion with the underground sound and the confidence of the mainstream. Charli XCX completely remastered the modern club sound to her own degree, and it’s only fair that critics and fans alike are calling it her best work to date.
Most recently, Charli XCX went on a co-headline tour called SWEAT with Troye Sivan, and has performed at numerous festivals including Tecate Pa’l Norte and Coachella. When the singer announced an extremely limited 4-city tour run, fans were shocked to see that Austin made the cut. Not only that, it was the first date of the entire tour. The day finally came, and Austin’s Moody Center was on FIRE. Fans were decked out in their best lime green + Y2K fits, and the venue was a bright green to commemorate the memorable night.
Charli XCX took the stage for the Austin debut of her BRAT Arena Tour, and the experience felt like a non-stop rave. The stage looked different from past shows, including the BRAT banner that now had the word scribbled out, so it was clear that no one knew what to expect. Charli XCX promptly got on stage to the tune of Shygirl’s remix of “365”, and began her set with the iconic “360.” “Von dutch” was the second song, and it all felt glitchy, chaotic, and perfect. The singer had a cage underneath the stage for maximum fan interaction, where she paced non-stop.
The night took a turn early on as she performed the melancholic “i might say something stupid,’ but things picked up the pace soon after with “Club Classics.” The track immediately turned the arena into a dance floor, with fans completely losing their mind to the classic club beat. “You look so cute, Austin” screams Charli XCX after singing “Unlock It” from POP 2. She proceeded with the song “Talk Talk,” where she stated that the song was for George (her fianceé) and admitted that they bought their wedding bands recently. [BRAT WEDDING INCOMING]
While she performed majority of BRAT tracks, she was clearly not scared of bringing back older hits. the crowd exploded with “Vroom Vroom” and “Track 10.” One of the most underrated moments of the night? While fans were already singing at the top of their lungs, “Girl, so confusing” (featuring Lorde) and “Guess” (featuring Billie Eilish) got the crowd dancing as no one in the arena stood still. Charli XCX often made cutesy remarks to Austin, but she stayed consistent at telling Austin to keep partying with her… to the point where she had a whole PARTY Banner set behind her.
To cap the performance, Charli brought it back full circle with a glitchy echo of “365” before she stepped away. She came back for the encore with her fourth outfit change of the night, and performed “party 4 u” from her album how i’m feeling now, released in 2020. “I can’t believe what’s happening with this song, it’s so crazy” states the singer as she points out the sudden viral success of the single. The set ended with “I Love It” (yes, the Icona Pop banger), and it felt like a fun throwback. It was the song that put her on the map, and she acknowledged it by mashing it with her newer sound.
The opening night of the BRAT Arena Tour served as the hyperpop therapy session Austin desperately needed. It was a perfectly chaotic and emotionally messy, and every single person was channeling their inner party girl. Charli XCX provided an incredible and energetic set that showcases BRAT that left everyone wanting more. She proved that BRAT isn’t just another album, but it’s a movement. Charli XCX is finally gaining the widespread recognition she truly deserves, and is an icon who pushes pop boundaries to the max.
Make sure to catch Charli XCX on the BRAT Arena Tour – most dates are sold-out but you can definitely still be on the search for tickets here.
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I'm a full-time music journalist/photographer from Houston, number one Paramore fan and Husky dog owner. I have a B.S in Radio-Television-Film from UT Austin and a M.A in Mass Communications from the University of Houston, which makes me smart! On top of being an avid concert-goer and movie fanatic, I love bonding with others over the power of local music and media.
