Brat Forever: Charli XCX’s LIDO Festival Was a Movement, Not Just a Moment.
Curated by Charli XCX herself, the debut LIDO Festival in London was a neon-soaked celebration of electronic experimentation and the community that’s formed around one of pop’s most era-defining artists.
If Brat is a movement, then LIDO was its summit. Charli XCX presided over a day she curated herself, filled with artists she has worked with, championed, or inspired, across the spikier ends of pop and electronica. For its debut edition, LIDO Festival took over Victoria Park on Saturday, 14th June, with a sold-out crowd of roughly 35,000. Let’s be honest: most of us were there for one woman. Charli didn’t just headline. She built the day, and you could feel it.
From the moment you stepped through the gates, it was clear: brat summer is alive and thriving. The crowd was united by a sea of neon green – sorry, brat green – painted across eyelids, printed on tees, caps, sunnies, wigs – it was everywhere. A visual shorthand for shared obsession; a pop star we feel genuinely close to and an era we don’t want to end. As someone with a marketing background, I find it incredible how not just one campaign, but one word and one shade, have become instantly recognisable, part of our vocabulary, our visuals, and our identities.
The sense of community ran through the lineup, too. From Dirty Hit artist The Japanese House, to Kelly Lee Owens, who’s on DH2 – George Daniel’s electronic Dirty Hit sub-label, LIDO felt like a curated love letter to the collaborators, producers and friends that orbit Charli’s world. It didn’t just sound cohesive – it felt like a family.
Charli and George were spotted in the crowd throughout the day, watching sets and cheering on friends. It’s a detail that stuck with me – the couple who helped build this day didn’t spend it backstage behind some velvet curtain. They were in it, just like us. Supporting the movement they helped create.
The Japanese House delivered one of the day’s most quietly magical moments. Amber Bain’s voice was soft, buttery, effortless. It washed over the crowd as she sang Sunshine Baby in actual sunshine. It was slower, more introspective than many of the sets that day, but it landed beautifully and was a necessary moment of calm.
The Dares’ tent was shut at capacity and was truly overflowing. His party starting set was made even more iconic by a surprise appearance from PinkPantheress, who joined him for a live version of Stateside – a track he produced and she’s called her favourite from her latest record.
By the time Gesaffelstein took the main stage, anticipation was rising as Charli was to follow. Dressed fully in black, face concealed by his signature mask, standing between two back-to-back black crystal decks, the whole set had a hypnotic villain energy. The crowd didn’t need fireworks – we were hooked on every precision-engineered drop. No gimmicks, just cold, controlled techno. A perfectly eerie warm-up before the explosion that followed.
And then: Charli. The brat green curtain fell from the sky. The park ignited.
She opened with an iconic trio: 365, 360 and Von Dutch – and from that moment, there was no dip in energy. Every detail felt deliberate: from the strobe-heavy visuals to the choreography. This felt more than just a live show. It was a vision.
There were rumours of Addison Rae or Lorde being surprise guests as they were both in London the same weekend, but honestly? No guests were needed. The crowd took on that role, screaming Billie’s verse in Guess and Lorde’s lines in Girl, So Confusing word perfect. A.G. Cook and Bladee did join her for Rewind, though, and the viral Apple dance moment had Amelia Dimoldenberg (Chicken Shop Date) on the big screens, drawing a scream from Charli: “I f**king love you, Amelia!”
But Track 10 was the moment and something I’ll remember for a long time. Slower, dreamier. As the synths swelled and the water poured down like a movie scene, Charli moved like she wasn’t performing for us; she was just feeling it. It was raw, vulnerable, magnetic and genuinely brought tears to my eyes. I was in awe.
Even from the VIP area, which had a great view but still felt connected to the main crowd, the emotion of that moment hit hard. It was surreal seeing Will Poulter and Lewis Capaldi milling about, but even with celebrity sightings, nothing distracted from the fact that this was Charli’s world, and we were all just dancing in it. As a fellow ‘young girl from Essex’, I felt proud, overwhelmed, and elated.
She closed the set with I Love It – the iconic Icona Pop collab – but the real climax came in the form of a personal message from Charli herself, that felt like a group chat message sent to all of us..
As she danced beneath lights and pyros, a monologue rolled across the screens:
“I’ve been thinking a lot about brat summer… and whether it’s FINALLY over???????“
“I thought it was… but actually, I don’t think it is… “
“So tell me the truth – will you hate me if I stick around? “
“Because honestly, I don’t know who I am if it’s over. “
“So I’ve decided… I want this to last forever. “
“It wasn’t just a summer thing… It’s a forever thing xx.“
It felt like the end of a film, but one where you know there’s going to be a sequel. It wasn’t just a great set. It was an affirmation of connection, community, and the power of pop to unite people. Brat summer isn’t over. It never was. And after LIDO, it’s clear: we’re still in it. We always will be.
