Charli XCX took over the world with brat this year — "brat" was even named Collins Dictionary's Word of the Year. But, what makes someone a brat? Charli opened up about her brat era and more during a recent interview with Variety.

On what makes a person a "brat," Charli explains, "The whole idea of being a brat is interesting to me, because why are people brats? Why do people act out and be difficult and misbehave? I think it’s because sometimes you’re overcompensating for insecurity or feeling uncomfortable, and I think that’s where the two fit together."

Speaking of insecurities, Charli sings about them on brat, and told Variety of her own, "My insecurities are not based on the way that I create. They’re based on the way that I look, the way that I feel in a room full of people who sometimes intimidate me, and not being good enough, feeling like an outsider, whatever. I think sometimes people aren’t honest about that, although maybe everyone else in the world is Zen as f*** and doesn’t feel like that. We live in this world where we’re so bombarded with crazy beauty standards, we’re constantly on our phones, we’re constantly looking at ourselves — it’s hard to not think about yourself as a commodity. But when it comes to my work, I just know — it’s instinct, I suppose, isn’t it?”

The original version of Charli XCX's Brat was released over the summer, and featured 15 new songs, followed by a newly-released remix album — titled Brat and it's completely different but also still brat — which sees each song get a new twist from guest appearances by Robyn & Yung Lean, BB trickz, Ariana Grande, The 1975 and Jon Hopkins, Troye Sivan, Addison Rae, Caroline Polachek, Bladee, A.G. Cook, Lorde, The Japanese House, Tinashe, Julian Casablancas, Bon Iver, Shygirl and Billie Eilish.

Dave Ryan