‘She Knows What She’s Doing’
Former president Barack Obama finally addressed skeptics who questioned if he really listens to every track on his 2024 Summer Playlist released last month. The annual list included a mix of classics, Nineties hits, indie rock, and current pop tracks like Billie Eilish’s “Chihiro,” Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em,” and Charli XCX’s “365.”
During an appearance on the “I’ve Had It” podcast released Thursday, Obama sat down with co-hosts Angie “Pumps” Sullivan and Jennifer Welch and was asked to answer whether he’d “had it” or “hit it” on a variety of topics.
When asked to weigh in on “Brat summer” — a term that dominated the cultural conversation since June and Kamala Harris’ campaign team embraced after Charli declared, “kamala IS brat” — the former president had no hesitations when showing his respect for the artist. “Hit it. I just put out my playlist, and ‘365’ is on it. And it is a great album,” Obama replied.
“People question sometimes whether I’m actually listening to all this music,” he continued. “As I’ve testified before, I am. I get input from my daughters, who undeniably are a little more up-to-speed on a day-to-day basis. I’ve got a bunch of young staff who will occasionally make recommendations. Charli XCX, she knows what she’s doing.”
Obama, who endorsed Harris’ presidential campaign, has been posting annual playlists each summer since 2015, when he was still in the Oval Office. Over the years, he’s included songs by Ice Spice, Gabe Lee, Lil Nas X, Rosalia, Harry Styles, Wet Leg, and boygenius.
Elsewhere in the interview, Obama doubled down on his controversial tan suit that he wore in 2014 during a live press conference. “I looked remarkable in that tan suit,” the former president quipped . “Obviously some people weren’t ready for it, but any folks out there who are thinking about a tan suit, especially in the middle of summer, go for it. Live a little.”
