The lengthy tail of Brat is seen to the bare eye at Coachella 2025, the place this weekend a not insignificant portion of the group is dressed within the type of asymmetrical ruffled skirts, wraparound sun shades and black knee-high boots that Charli XCX has popularized throughout her culture-shaking marathon run across the album, which got here out two months after final yr’s Coachella.
Provided that we’ve all been residing by means of the various seasons of Brat ever since, it felt apt, affordable and roughly anticipated that Charli stored her Saturday evening efficiency virtually totally album-centric, utilizing the slot on the Coachella mainstage — the place she final appeared in 2023 — to highlight the LP’s music, collaborators, aesthetic and angle. The largest twist got here on the finish, when she raised questions on whether or not or not it is perhaps coming to an in depth.
The set started promptly at 7:20 p.m. with strobe-light black and white graphics on Coachella’s large screens constructing a sense of hype. Then started the strains of “365,” with Charli showing on the middle of the enormous stage wearing black micro-shorts with a series belt, black knee-highs, a black bra, sheer black over shirt and black sun shades, which, per standard, stayed on throughout the present.
She then went immediately into “360” after which “Von Dutch,” throughout which she strutted by means of the group earlier than returning to the stage and demanding “You able to sing? Louder b—h!” earlier than launching into the refrain after which going immediately into “Membership Classics.” By this level, the “I wish to dance to me, me, me” chorus felt thematic within the sense that all the present was stored very spare by way of manufacturing, with the one main set piece being a riser that was used to a couple of times carry Charli off the stage so she may very well be a bit greater whereas she danced. It was altogether a stark distinction to the absolute maximalism of Girl Gaga’s set on the identical stage the evening prior.
By comparability, Charli’s set was actually a highlight on and a showcase for her and her stage presence. Whereas she was in a position to carry the huge mainstage on her personal with out many bells, whistles or a single backup dancer, it additionally demonstrated that issues are extra enjoyable with mates, as a litany of Brat collaborators joined Charli at numerous factors to carry out their respective album cuts.
The primary of those moments was from Troye Sivan, Charli’s co-headliner on the 2024 Sweat Tour, who got here out to sing their jaunty intercourse romp duet “Discuss Discuss” — with the good chemistry these two have palpable all through and Charli seeming a bit extra overtly joyful whereas performing alongside her pal.
After this got here Charli’s solo performances of “I Would possibly Say One thing Silly” after which “Apple,” which in extraordinarily Brat trend she sang whereas strolling across the stage whereas carrying the social gathering world drink vessel of alternative, a purple Solo Cup. In the meantime, the digital camera panned to common Charli associates Gabbriette, Alex Consani and Quenlin Blackwell doing the viral Apple dance in entrance row.
Then it was Lorde‘s flip, with the Australian star (whose denims and t-shirt contrasted with Charli’s extra club-ready outfit), popping out to sing her half on the “Woman, so complicated” remix. It was a pleasure to see the pair strutting side-by-side down the stage’s catwalk, with the second reminding one of many energy and sweetness of those two working it out on the remix and catharsis within the duo’s confessional edit of the track. “Make some f—ing noise for Lorde,” Charli demanded from the group, earlier than declaring “Lorde summer season 2025” into the mic and Lorde then exiting after an enormous hug between the 2.
It was moments later that Billie Eilish (carrying dishevelled shorts, an outsized polo shirt and a backward baseball hat) was onstage to do her half on the simple “Guess” remix, with the group having one in every of its greatest bursts of vitality of all the present through the track’s electro construct. Fast minimize edits of the pair dancing in strobe-ey lights flashed on the display with the phrase “GUESS” intermittently transposed over them.
After Eilish’s exit, Charli actually crawled down the catwalk, with the group cheering as she thrust her hips on the stage after which crawled again in direction of the digital camera whereas screaming. She then stood up and simply headbanged, her signature lengthy black hair flailing. The present then shifted into softer, lovier territory whereas Charli sang her 2019 Lizzo collab “I Blame It On Your Love,” one in every of a 3 non-Brat songs that made it into the present. “Unlock It” from 2017’s Pop 2 had come earlier, with Charli then closing all the efficiency together with her traditional 2012 Icona Pop collab “I Love It,” a crowd favourite and a high-energy nearer.
However that wasn’t fairly the top of the present. After the music, Charl stood onstage flanked by the enormous screens that flashed messages seemingly beamed immediately from her stream of consciousness: “Does this imply that Brat summer season is lastly over?” the phrases requested. “Idk? Perhaps? Wait was it? No?? Yeah cuz duh it was already over like final yr. Wait. Was it? NO??? I don’t know who I’m if it’s over???” F–KKKKKKKK.”
Then the declaration momentarily took maintain of itself, declaring “Wait. I remembered. I’m Charli” with photographs of the her title in numerous fonts flashing on the display earlier than the assertion resumed by saying “and actually… I simply need this second to final endlessly.” After a collection of photographs at Charli at numerous factors all through her profession, the screens flashed a clip of a inexperienced flag emblazoned with “Brat” waving, after which consumed in flames.
“PLEASE DON’T LET IT BE OVER,” the assertion declared, at which level the present was formally completed. However relaxation assured, Charli will probably be again subsequent Saturday — similar time, similar place — for Coachella’s second weekend.
