Fans are bemused by the new Charli XCX x Ariana Grande promo image

Unless you’ve been living under a lime green rock, you’re probably familiar with the phrase ‘brat summer’. Yes, Charli XCX’s album was declared the unofficial soundtrack to the warmer months of 2024 – and it looks like she’s going after Autumn too. But while rudimentary design might be a staple of the ‘brat’ era, the slapdash Photoshop of the promo image for her new collaboration with Ariana Grande has still managed to bemuse fans.

At first glance, this looks like a standard black-and-white image of the two artists, albeit with some slightly over-produced lighting. But superfans tend to recognise every single photo of their idols, and this was quickly identified as rush job. 

Indeed, it’s pretty clear Charli and Ariana aren’t in the same room. These are existing photoshoot images of both of them – and as one X user has hilariously demonstrated (below), the image can be mocked-up in – checks notes – under a minute. 

This isn’t the first time this week we’ve seen an ‘official’ marketing image in which Ariana Grande clearly isn’t in the same room as the person to her right. Just yesterday the new poster for 2024’s Wicked movie failed to bewitch the internet. Still, at least Kamala Harris managed to get ‘brat branding’ right this summer.