At London’s O2 Arena on Thursday night, “Brat” wasn’t just a word, or the name of Charli XCX’s wildly successful album — it was a way of life. Looking out at the sea of people who packed the sold-out show,

What began as excitement for Charli XCX’s breakout album Brat, which came out in June, became fused with the excitement surrounding Kamala Harris’s entry into the presidential race in July. But an autumnal reckoning lay ahead.

Charli XCX is due to perform her headline show at The O2 tonight, following the opening of the UK leg of her tour in Manchester last night. It should be something of a homecoming for the 32-year-old Essex-raised singer-songwriter, who spent her teen years playing her Myspace dance tracks at illegal warehouse raves in east London.

Charli XCX debuted a number of fan favorites during her Manchester and London shows, paying tribute to late friend and collaborator SOPHIE in the process.

Charli xcx has enjoyed a truly stellar year. Released in June, her sixth BRAT album wasn't just an instant pop classic, but a cultural moment that became a meme, a mindset and a way of life. In October,

Charli XCX turned London’s O2 Arena into a dazzling celebration of music, fashion, and self-expression on Thursday night, as she delivered an electrifying performance to a sold-out crowd.