Charli XCX ‘honoured’ over Mercury Prize nomination for Brat

Charli XCX said she feels “honoured” after her album Brat was nominated for the Mercury Prize album of the year award.

The British singer, real name Charlotte Aitchison, has made the shortlist with her sixth studio album, which has caused a frenzy on social media following its release in June.

On Thursday, the 31-year-old shared a photo of her in a recording studio to Instagram and said: “Wow I am really so honoured that Brat is shortlisted for the Mercury Prize.

“Its so nice to see this body of work get so much love, it truly means the world and watching it take on a life of its own has just been so wild and quite f***** crazy.. boiler room Ibiza drops Friday. Also I’m recording… something xx”.

The shortlist is comprised of 12 albums that have been released by a musical act from the UK or Ireland, and this year’s nominees include indie outfit The Last Dinner Party, rapper Ghetts and Irish singer CMAT.

In a Tik Tok explaining the concept behind her record, Charli said that being a Brat means being “that girl, who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes”.

The album has inspired the “Brat summer” trend, and Charli told the Sidetracked podcast that it can include “a pack of cigs and a Bic lighter, and a strappy white top with no bra”.

Following the announcement that Kamala Harris would replace Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee for president, the artist posted to X, “Kamala IS brat”.

The Biden-Harris campaign account changed its banner to Kamala HQ, using the same font and neon green background as the Brat album cover.

The album’s popularity on social media has also given rise to a viral TikTok trend where users dance along to Charli’s catchy single Apple.

Actors Daisy Edgar Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos and American chat show host Stephen Colbert are among the celebrities who have danced along to the song.

The pop singer, who is known for her experimental style, was also nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2020 for the album How I’m Feeling Now.

This year a number of debut albums have been nominated including Silence Is Loud from jungle artist Nia Archives.

Reacting to the news on Instagram, she said: “My debut album Silence Is Loud has been shortlisted for a Mercury OMG!!!!

“This is such a pinch me moment and a dream come tru !!!!”

She added: “Jungle music is everything 2 me and I am such a fan of the music 2 which I am nothing without”.

Elsewhere Cat Burns, who has been nominated for her debut offering Early Twenties, said she was “in shock”.

“I’m in shock, insanely grateful that the album and the songs on it are being recognised, that’s all I’ve ever wanted,” she said on Instagram.

“So many incredible albums were put forward and mine was shortlisted?!? Crazy crazy crazy.”

The other nominees are Scottish DJ Barry Can’t Swim for When Will We Land?; rapper BERWYN for Who Am I; Portishead singer Beth Gibbons for Lives Outgrown; and singer Corinne Bailey Rae with Black Rainbows.

Also in the mix is Scottish outfit Corto.alto for Bad With Names; indie group English Teacher with This Could Be Texas; Ghetts with On Purpose, With Purpose; CMAT with Crazymad, For Me; and The Last Dinner Party with Prelude To Ecstasy.

The overall winner of the 2024 Mercury Prize will be revealed in September.