‘Where are my f***king bad bitches at’: Charli XCX unleashes ‘Brat’ summer at Laneway Festival

Ass grabbing and gyrating club rave hits were centre stage in Brisbane last night as ‘Brat summer’ took over.

Charli XCX unleashed a Brat display at Brisbane Laneway, performing her hits “Von Dutch” and “Guess” which turned the festival into a club rave.

Charli XCX, the headline artist for the sold out festival which included singer-songwriter Clairo, dance music star DJ Barry Can’t Swim and British singer-songwriter beabadoobee, made an explosive entrance to the stage about 9.15pm.

Just a week ago the 32-year-old pop star received her first solo Grammy nomination and took home three Grammys including best dance/electronic album for her 2024 album ‘Brat’.

Now touring with Laneway Festival across New Zealand and Australia, Charli XCX wore her signature black sunglasses, tiny black leather studded shorts, white flowery top and knee high black boots for her Brisbane show.

Charli xcx, on stage at Laneway Festival Brisbane. Photo: Tayla Couacaud

As far as style goes, it was also seemingly the same look many concert goers were trying to imitate.

Sunglasses at night were in, while the clean girl aesthetic was out and polished Barbie girls were few and far between.

Charli herself has previously described the Brat style as: “Just, like, a pack of cigs, and, like, a Bic lighter, and, like, a strappy white top”.

The neon-green club record album cover for ‘Brat’ that fast became the defining colour of Summer 2024 was the backdrop to Charli XCX’s opening song ‘365’ shygirl remix, before ripping down the banner going into ‘360’.

The crowd screamed as she threw back her signature black long hair and grabbed her ass, with the singer having the crowd in the palms of her hands in seconds. Shaking her ass again, the Brisbane crowd couldn't get enough.

Some fans had been camped out at the ‘Good Better Best’ main stage from 5pm for the 9pm set to get a view of the party girl.

She even took the time to re-create the viral ‘Apple’ dance TikTok, turning the spotlight on fans.

Charli xcx, on stage at Laneway Festival Brisbane. Photo: Tayla Couacaud

Half way through the 18 song setlist, a slight wardrobe malfunction struck during Barbie’s ‘Speed Drive’ - “sorry my top keeps breaking”, she said - which led to an onset change during ‘Sympathy is a knife’.

“If you know it sing it,” she said as she changed into another cropped white long sleeved shirt and carried on the rave in true Brat style.

“How you feeling, you feeling good?” she screamed before adding “thanks for being here tonight.”

Some concert goers who were in the bleachers and the back of the RNA showgrounds said the speakers didn’t carry the singer’s voice, but where it was lacking in sound, Charli’s videograher worked harder.

Slight wardrobe malfunction at Charli xcx, on stage at Laneway Festival Brisbane. Photo: Tayla Couacaud

The roaming cameraman was fighting for his life keeping up with the Brat singer, during ‘Spring Breakers’, the song which is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the 2012 film staring Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Benson - she asked the Brisbane crowd “Where are my f***king bad bitches at.”

A masterclass in stage presence, she made the front strip between the stage and the crowd her own personal runway, strutting and at times crawling towards the camera.

Charli sang all of her fan favourites including Guess, Track 10, Vroom Vroom, Club Classics and Girl so Confusing.

Charli xcx, on stage at Laneway Festival Brisbane. Photo: Tayla Couacaud

Charli threw a club style rave with constant energy that left nothing to the imagination during a steamy Brisbane set that left fans felling like they were an extra in a music video.

The star closed out the night with Icona Pops ‘I love it’ that had the whole crowd jumping and screaming before a mic drop finish as she vanished from the stage at the end of the set.

Originally published as ‘Where are my f***king bad bitches at’: Charli XCX unleashes ‘Brat’ summer at Laneway Festival