Charli XCX declares end of brat summer at Berlin premiere

Monday 16 February 2026 - 10:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Charli XCX declares end of brat summer at Berlin premiere

Charli XCX has closed the chapter on her defining “Brat” era, telling reporters at the Berlin Film Festival that the cultural wave surrounding her 2024 album has run its course as her mockumentary The Moment premiered in Europe at the Zoo Palast cinema.

Asked whether the “brat summer” phenomenon had reached its end, the British pop star said it was ultimately up to the public to decide, but for her it was over. Quoting a line from the film, she added that there is no reason to fear an ending once it has arrived, according to Reuters.

Charli XCX rose to global prominence as the neon green aesthetic of Brat became intertwined with pop culture and even intersected with the US presidential campaign of Kamala Harris. Now, she said, she is ready to move forward, even if her next artistic direction remains undefined.

At a press conference in Berlin, the singer described the making of The Moment as cathartic. She said the project allowed her to channel frustrations from real life into exaggerated scenarios portrayed on screen, according to RTE.

Directed by Aidan Zamiri and distributed by A24, the film casts Charli XCX as a fictionalized version of herself grappling with the pressures of fame while preparing for her first arena tour. The mockumentary examines what she called the lifespan of art and the challenge of leaving a cultural space at the right time.

The ensemble cast includes Alexander Skarsgård as a troubled concert film director, alongside appearances by Kylie Jenner, Rachel Sennott, Julia Fox and Rosanna Arquette.

The Moment arrived in Berlin after debuting at the Sundance Film Festival in January, where it divided critics but generated significant attention. A24 said the film became its highest grossing limited release to date.

Fans waited for hours in freezing temperatures outside the Zoo Palast for a glimpse of the singer at Saturday night’s screening.

During the press conference, Charli XCX praised Berlin’s reputation for politically engaged cinema. She noted that the festival is known for spotlighting socially conscious films by visionary directors with meaningful messages, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

While she previously suggested at Sundance that she wanted to pivot as far away as possible from Brat, she acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding her next creative phase. She told Billboard that nothing lasts forever and that moving on can be more exciting than holding on.