The Brat album cover by Charli XCX has undergone several notable changes and has become a significant part of the album's identity and promotional cycle. Initially, the cover featured a bold, neon green background with the word "brat" in blurry black text, designed to be deliberately off-putting and garish. This minimalist and raw design was the result of a five-month process, with designer Brent David Freaney selecting the specific shade of green and a stretched Arial font to create an awkward, opinion-less aesthetic that aligned with Charli's vision of bold irreverence

. The cover sparked varied reactions from fans and critics. Some appreciated its authenticity and disruptive style reminiscent of late 90s artwork, while others missed seeing Charli XCX's image on the cover and found the design too simplistic or confrontational

. Charli herself commented that the demand for women to appear on album covers was "misogynistic and boring," emphasizing the intentionality behind the design choices

. Over time, the Brat cover evolved visually. During Charli's Coachella 2025 performance, she revealed a new version of the cover with scribbles over the letters, which was then updated on streaming platforms. This "weathered" look, with scribbles, scratches, and rust-like effects, suggests a metaphor for the album's lifecycle and the era's progression, possibly signaling the approaching end of the Brat era

. Charli has stated that every change related to Brat has been intentional and purposeful, hinting that the cover might revert to an "original" or different version once the era concludes

. Additionally, a "brat wall" painted in the album's signature green in Brooklyn was used as a promotional tool, with messages changing throughout the album's release cycle, further embedding the cover's color and aesthetic into the album's cultural moment

. In summary, the Brat album cover started as a deliberately simple, bold, and somewhat abrasive design that became iconic and meme-worthy. It has since been altered to reflect the album's evolving narrative and Charli XCX's artistic intentions, with changes symbolizing the transition out of the Brat era and possibly paving the way for future artistic directions