It’s hard to remember now, but “Brat summer” was never a given. To most of us long-term Angels, Charli xcx was our pop star: the musical MVP of the living room pregame, the star of gay guy music-videos-on-the-TV Friday. She was not, though, the kind of artist who could sell out Madison Square Garden or become a semi-main character in an American presidential election. But here we are, in Charli xcx’s America, and somehow, four months later, Brat summer has slipped into a long Brat fall.

Someone was prepared for all of this, though: Stephanie Nagy, the owner of Spin Me Round Records in Easton, PA and the charmingly goofy star of her store’s multiple social media accounts. Nagy first came across my feed dressed in head-to-toe green, preaching the powers of Brat. In one popular TikTok video, Nagy stands in front of a wall of Brat vinyls and pouts like Veruca Salt from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. “It’s my Charli xcx! Why won’t you give me my Charli xcx?” she wails, her hands moving up and down in exasperation. Soon after she posted the video, Brat was released and debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, a wild feat for the previously low-key star. Nagy, it turns out, was the neon green canary in pop music’s coal mine.

Nagy’s all-out Brat content brought her legions of fans, including Charli herself. On a TikTok Live recorded on Brat’s release day, the pop star joined Nagy to sing her praises. “We really stan you and your content… massively,” Charli said in her signature British deadpan. Nagy beamed through the screen.

“I could have died,” recalls Nagy to PAPER. “It was absolutely amazing.” When talking about the album, she’s literally reverent. “Brat was holy… just holy,” she shares. “It was a completely different experience than anything else that I ever heard.”

Even though Charli and thousands of stans have jumped on Spin Me Round’s bandwagon while in the peak throes of early Brat-mania, they’ve since stayed on to check in on what Nagy has in-store. Every day she unboxes something new or pulls something from her vast collection on TikTok. And whether she’s showing off vinyls of Shakira, Melanie Martinez, or Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, Nagy always has the same kind of giddy glee that makes you ready to give each record a spin.

“Artists get the opportunity to do what they love, right? And I love hearing their music and I love promoting their music, and I love trying to make them even bigger,” she tells PAPER. “We are all doing exactly what we love. And you know what? The world just needs more love.”

PAPER chatted with Nagy — the true CEO of Brat summer and fall — about all things Brat, the secret to running a record store in 2024 and how she conquered social media.

Hi — I see you’re in the store!

Yes, in my iconic corner.

How long has the store been open?

We’ve been in this location since Black Friday, 2020, but we opened the first brick-and-mortar location in April, 2013.

So you’ve seen the record business change a lot?

We started off as a bookstore in Hackettstown, New Jersey, where Centenary University is located. I was like, “Why is there no bookstore? Let’s open a bookstore!” Then an acquaintance passed, and his brother contacted us because we were wholesalers for over 20 years. They needed to raise money for the funeral. He wouldn’t sell us the CDs or the books or the DVDs, but then he was like, “Oh, I got a barn, and we’ve got records in the barn.” So we started off with crates and crates and crates of used records.

Were you a music fan and collector prior to this?

Oh yeah — I threw myself on my dad’s record collection in the ’90s and said, “No, Dad, you can’t sell them. They’re mine.”

So when did the official switch from bookstore to record store happen?

We were a bookstore that just happened to have records. Then we opened the first actual record store in April of 2015, so we had two locations. And then in 2016 we opened a bigger store and just went down to one store and the books were in a corner. Now we have an 8,000-square-foot record store that is mostly records.

How were you approaching selling records at a time when Spotify and streaming were becoming so ubiquitous?

A turntable became the most commonly given Christmas present starting in 2015. We would collect used Billy Joel records all throughout the year and we’d have 150 to 200. As soon as December hit and Grandma heard that you bought little Johnny a record player, Grandma would be coming in to buy Billy Joel, because what’s one album that’s going to have at least four Top 10 hits? It’s Billy Joel. So we can sell 300 Billy Joel records in a month. Plus, vinyl records are a tangible, physical product that you can buy to support your favorite artist. You’re like, “Of course, I’m a Charli xcx fan. Look at my record collection.”

The store is in Easton, PA. Tell me a little bit about the region the store is in.

We’re in eastern Pennsylvania in the Palmer Park Mall. I’m in the store all the time. We’re right over the bridge [from New Jersey], right on the border. We’re in the perfect spot, because we are an hour and a half from New York City and an hour and a half from Philly. We’re right in the middle, but we’re much calmer here than in most of Pennsylvania and most of New Jersey.

And people are coming in from the whole region to your store?

People love traveling an hour or two. It’s a nice ride to come see me because I have everything.

Tell me a bit about how social media became such a central part of your business.

I dabbled a little bit with social media when we had a location in Hackettstown. But once we hit Phillipsburg, I felt that if I was pricing stuff and putting it out in the store and nobody saw it, then did it even happen? So we started off making videos on Facebook. And then on Instagram we started showing everything that was going out in the store. We then tried unboxing videos, and people seemed to really enjoy the unboxing videos. And then we evolved with TikTok and X. We’re posting all over the place. People like knowing who they’re buying from. And they’re seeing a person who’s as excited about the music as they are.

I think something that people really appreciate about your content and you is your ecstatic love for music. You have a lot of love for all types of music. Maybe you’re just an amazing salesperson or maybe that’s just you?

I just love all types of music. My dad was in a band for years. I remember I grew up in the VFW [Veterans of Foreign Wars] in New Milford, New Jersey. My dad played at the VFW at least once a month with his band. We moved to Hackettstown, and some of my best memories are coming downstairs and seeing my parents out on the deck, and my dad’s playing guitar and there’s a candle going and my mom’s reading a book. There’s always been music in the house.

Unfortunately, I’m not particularly musically inclined. I was in the Color Guard in the marching band, and I took guitar class and dance classes, but I was just never a particularly musical person. I can’t make the music, but I love hearing everyone else’s music. And I love writing about music, because I went to school for English and creative writing. I love making videos about music and I love finding out all sorts of different facts about artists.

We’re going to talk about Brat, but is there another record that came out, or an artist that crossed your radar, that just blew your mind in the past year?

Well, Brat was holy… just holy. It was a completely different experience than anything else that I ever heard. It was just amazing.

Did you know immediately that it would be your favorite album?

Immediately. [Before listening,] I didn’t want to hear any teasers. I didn’t want to know anything, because I wanted to listen to that full album. Everybody else had heard “Von dutch,” and I didn’t even listen to the radio because I didn’t want it to be ruined for me. I wanted to listen to that whole thing in one shot. We had an early listening party [after being sent a link from Atlantic Records]. We weren’t even through with the listening party, and I already had ordered my tickets for Madison Square Garden. It just completely blew my mind right from the start.

That’s so cool you got early access.

I believe I was the first person to have a Brat poster, because I had a Brat poster a couple months before Brat came out. I just couldn’t wait. Everybody complained about that cover. I was like, “No! This is the Brat-est thing ever, right?” It is amazing how Charli sold so many copies of this album, and this is her most loved album, and there’s no picture of her on the front. She’s not half-naked. It’s just like, See what you can do?

Artists get the opportunity to do what they love, right? And I love hearing their music and I love promoting their music, and I love trying to make them even bigger. We are all doing exactly what we love. And you know what? The world just needs more love.

Tell me a little bit about connecting with Charli herself. What was that like? How did that come about?

That’s my new claim to fame. Charli followed me back on TikTok. I was like, “Wow, this is awesome.” And then I was on TikTok Live and all of a sudden she pops up and says, “Accept me.” I couldn’t believe it. It was a completely impromptu chat right on TikTok on release day. I could have died. It was absolutely amazing.

I think another reason why people love you online is you have the most fun, bold style. Have you always been such a fashionista?

People used to come in and be like, “Do you work here?” And I’d be like, “No, I own here.” I’d be wearing jeans, a T-shirt and a sweatshirt. I was like, You know what? I am going to be the best-dressed person in my store every day. So probably for the last eight years, I have worn a dress every day. I love putting on my tights and putting on my dress and putting on my boots and just going and making a million videos. Everybody knows who I am because they walk in, my hair’s on top of my head, and I’m wearing a dress: that’s her. I own two pairs of pants, and one of them I stole from my 20-year-old daughter.

Do you and your daughter connect on music?

I have three kids. My oldest is really into punk and metal. My oldest and my middle daughter both just went to see Fidlar. Right after my daughter and I went to see Charli xcx at Madison Square Garden, she went with my sister-in-law to go see Meghan Trainor at Madison Square Garden, so her musical taste is all over the place. And then my son loves 21 Pilots, Panic! at the Disco and Olivia Rodrigo. I get a little bit of everything. But when my son was a little kid, it was all Green Jelly’s “Three Little Pigs.”

What do your kids make of your social media stardom? Do they ever participate?

Yes, they participate a lot more on YouTube. The kids are always ready to film a video for me. One time, Brooke had too much sugar and I was making a video, and she just kept running back and forth. And I was like, “Are you surrounded by brats too?” Because she just kept running back and forth right in front of me. It was crazy. But my oldest tells me I use social media wrong.

I think it’s working.

Right? Everyone’s enjoying it, so I think that’s all that matters.

I think I have an idea of what your #1 album of the year is going to be, but are there any that are going to maybe crack your top five?

2020 was an amazing year for music, but I feel like 2024 is going to top it. I absolutely love 21 Pilots’ Clancy. I love Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine. I love Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet. There’ve been so many albums that I absolutely love this year other than Charli. I don’t even know what I’m going to end up having as my other four. I don’t even know if I’m going to be able to pick a top 10 or a top 20, because there’s just been so many albums that have come out this year that I absolutely love. But Charli’s still on top, of course. And then the Brat remixes? It’s like a completely different album with the same song titles, but it has completely different feelings and lyrics. It’s just crazy.

You’ve really found success online and grown your business. What’s the secret to running a record store in 2024 that you can impart?

If somebody else tells you, let me know. I think it’s just a matter of doing what you love. We like to stay positive. We don’t like to focus on anything negative. People are just drawn to positivity. So if you are excited to be there every day and you are happy, then the people are coming because you’re good vibes. I love when people come in from social media, because they’re like, “OMG! I watch you on social media.” I’m like, “Awesome. Where’s my hug? Do you want to take a picture? What do you want to talk about?” It’s great.

Photography: Matthew Yoscary

Editor-in-chief: Justin Moran
Managing editor: Matt Wille
Editorial producer: Angelina Cantú
Story: Tobias Hess

Last night, a specter of neon green descended upon Midtown as hundreds of New Yorkers who’d received alerts on their phones scrambled to Times Square. This wasn’t the arrival of the aliens the Pentagon kept from us, but the equally paradigm-shifting force of Brat and the mastermind behind it, Charli xcx, who threw a surprise concert on the TSX Stage at 1568 Broadway to celebrate H&M’s Holiday collection and the re-opening of H&M Times Square.

But before any good rager there’s a pregame, and a fabulous pre-cocktail party at the Edition Times Square took on the role, welcoming a cast of who’s who from the fashion multiverse that included American model Amelia Gray Hamlin, fashion blogger Jessica Wang and H&M’s creative advisor Ann-Sofie Johansson.

And then, of course, the main event: Just before 6:30 PM, visuals designed by Maximo Recio and Weirdcore flashed across Times Squares’ massive screens as Charli xcx emerged to “365” before performing “360,” “Von dutch”, “Apple” and the “Guess” remix. During “Von dutch,” the music video engulfed Charli xcx as hardcore fans and dazzled tourists looked up. During “Apple,” the camera briefly panned to Alex Consani, Julia Fox and Richie Shazam — New York It-Girls who made cameos in the “360” music video — doing the viral TikTok dance set to the song. As for the fit, Charli stunted custom H&M pieces inspired by the brand’s new holiday collection, which included semi-sheer draped dress with a high slit and bodysuit, “mask” sunglasses and heeled knee-high black patent boots.

But it wouldn’t have been a Brat function without an afterparty, and there’s perhaps no location more Brat-coded than The Hotel Chelsea, known for its history as a decadent haven for artists like Bob Dylan and Patti Smith, who once wrote: “life at the Chelsea was an open market, everyone with something of himself to sell.” Last night, that market was very much in operation, as stars like Lila Moss and Hari Nef mingled to music by DJ Pee .Wee (AKA Anderson Paak), Papi Juice’s Oscar Nñ and St. Louis and Chigaco-raised D, k.tea. Charli xcx arrived in her second look of the night, a sparkling fringed mini skirt and a fine black knit, all brought together by a faux fur coat. Other stars who attended the event included Irina Shayk, Elsa Hosk, Iris Law, Delilah Belle, Benito Skinner, Shygirl and others.

Amelia Gray, who hosted the party, curated an edit of her favorite styles on H&M’s newly-launched fashion platform, The Studio, which you can access starting Thursday, November 21.

H&M’s partnership with Charli xcx was meant to highlight the brand’s commitment to innovation and inclusivity. The new H&M store in Times Square will open on Thursday, November 21; you can shop for their Holiday Collection at select stores and online.

This article is a sponsored collaboration between H&M and PAPER.

FLO wants to be known as the girl group of their generation. It’s a bold statement for any group to make, but following a collaboration with Missy Elliott, dropping a critically acclaimed debut album and announcing their headline North American tour —FLO is well on the way to achieving just that.

Inspired by ’90s R&B groups like Destiny’s Child and TLC, the British trio’s music evokes strong feelings of nostalgia while still creating infectious hits for a modern audience. Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma and Renée Downer have built up a big fanbase in recent years with their empowering hits like “Fly Girl” and “Walk Like This.” However, they admit that up until this point in their career, their music hadn’t gone beyond the surface.

“We wanted to broaden the topics that we talked about,” Douglas tells PAPER. “We are definitely used to being a little bit boy-obsessed, and although that is a part of our lives, we wanted to tap into the other areas of it. We lean into our work ethic and grind as three young girls in the industry. Also, [we touched on] the more vulnerable side of being in a relationship. We just wanted to give people more insight into what we go through, hence the name Access All Areas.”

The early writing stages of their hotly-anticipated debut continued down this trajectory until the group quickly realized they needed to challenge themselves and get vulnerable and honest within their songwriting to show the audience a different side of themselves. Access All Areas is a result of that process, welcoming listeners on a journey into the world of FLO and providing strong foundations for the “soul-searching” and exploration they knew they would need for equally open future projects.

Just before the release of their debut album, FLO talked to PAPER about collaborating with Cynthia Erivo, touring with Kehlani and how vulnerability changed the way they make music.

How are you feeling ahead of the release of your debut album, Access All Areas ?

Renée Downer: We are so excited for this album to come out. It’s been a long time in the making and we’ve achieved all that we wanted to accomplish with this album. We love every song. We can’t wait for people to hear it and love it as much as we do.

What did you want to express with this album as a group?

Stella Quaresma: We wanted to convey strength and confidence and our relatability. We wanted to experiment and try different sounds and really take people on a journey.

What did you want this journey to look like?

Jorja Douglas: We wanted to broaden the topics that we talked about. We are definitely used to being a little bit boy-obsessed, and although that is a part of our lives, we wanted to tap into the other areas of it. We lean into our work ethic and grind as three young girls in the industry. Also, [we touched on] the more vulnerable side of being in a relationship. We just wanted to give people more insight into what we go through, hence the name Access All Areas.

What was it like to show that vulnerable side in your music?

Renée: At the start, it was a little nerve-wracking because we were used to being relatively surface-level. But we are very proud of ourselves that we did and we have more to do as well. We say that we’ve gone quite deep but I think we can go deeper.

Stella: But It’s a good starting point. We are proud of ourselves and it’s something that we had to do to elevate our songs to the next level.

Has this given you confidence going forward to be more vulnerable in future projects?

Jorja: The track list is extremely developed from where we started and that was because we felt that initially, it wasn’t telling anyone anything that they didn’t already know. Naturally, there are always going to be songs about boys but even on that topic just developing that and different areas of the relationship. We really tried but we have got a lot more soul-searching to do.

For the opening track “Intro,” you collaborated with Cynthia Erivo. How much did this mean to you but also how did it come about?

Jorja: We knew that we wanted a female to introduce us because the whole female empowerment thing has been integral to how we’ve made it this far, just really believing that we can do it. We were thinking, “Who could it be?” And then all of a sudden Cynthia Erivo just popped into our mind and it was like, “How didn’t we think of this sooner?” We asked her and she was so quick to jump on it that it made it even more special. because it didn’t feel like a chore, it felt natural. Her being Black and British and extremely talented, I don’t think we could have asked for a better spokesperson.

When listening to the album, it has a great nostalgic feel but it’s simultaneously modern. Was this intentional in creating this vibe or was it natural due to your influences?

Renée: I’m glad you said that. Obviously, we are influenced heavily by ’90s R&B but also we are the age of the new school and we are influenced by the new R&B artists as well. We are always trying to push the envelope and see what R&B could be in the future so you’d like to think we could be pioneers for that.

You’ve had such a huge year, have you had time to let it sink in or do you have to take it day by day?

Renée: We definitely have to take it day by day. Because we are so busy, we don’t realize how much we are doing, how much we are growing, how many new fans we are getting and how many people are talking about FLO. But there are definitely points where we sit back and look and be very proud of what we’ve accomplished.

Jorja: We have zero concept of time. It feels like we’ve been together forever but then also for such a short space of time. God knows what year it is and I can’t believe the lead came out in 2022. It’s just been such a whirlwind but every time we get on stage or put something out, we are reminded how loved and appreciated we are and we are grateful for that.

You recently supported Kehlani on tour, how did that feel?

Jorja: We’ve always looked up to her and she’s one of our most loved R&B artists. In the lead-up to being asked to support her, we could feel that something was coming and we didn’t need to rush to do anything. When it came along, it was like, “Wow, this has just answered all of our prayers!” She was so encouraging and supportive of us and it has given an insight into tour life. We’ve seen the ugly and the beautiful and we are really excited to begin our own tour next year.

How valuable was the experience of touring with Kehlani?

Renée: We couldn’t have asked for a better artist to tour with and for that to be the first artist we’ve ever supported was just the most perfect thing. It aligned with everything, it aligned with our album coming out. And it was a great opportunity to get some new FLO fans before our album comes out.

After the tour, Kehlani got you a bouquet of flowers with the note, “The sky is not the limit, it’s just the view.” You’ve carved out a great space for yourself in the R&B scene, so it must feel that the possibilities are endless.

Jorja: As far as R&B music goes, we are made to feel that there is a ceiling on it. With the release of our singles, we are always very cautious about whether it’s ‘too R&B’ or whether it’ll be able to reach the masses. Is this what’s going to break us? We are made to have that thought in our minds when releasing singles. Stepping into this new era, a hit is just what you make it. Really, any song can be a hit so we shouldn’t be limited to thinking that R&B is what the smaller population wants to hear because if more people heard it then R&B will soon be Pop.

What lessons did you learn from your Missy Elliott collaboration, “Fly Girl?”

Renée: To make sure you get paid [Laughs.] Also, when you become a legend, it’s just a whole different ball game. There’s a certain level that people need to speak to you with and there’s a respect that your name carries.

Stella: She was super lovely though. For us, it was crazy that she actually agreed to do it so we were very humbled by it.

You’ve had many big moments early in your career, but was that one of the most surreal?

Stella: 100%. When we got on FaceTime with [Missy] to discuss what we imagined her verse would be like. She asked if we had anything we wanted from her and she did it. That was the best part, she actually listened to how we imagined it and she totally nailed it. That verse will go down in the FLO history books.

The way that she approached the collaboration and asked for your suggestions must have been inspiring and given you guidance on how to approach collaborations with artists in the future.

Jorja: We learned that regardless of how big you are and how long you’ve been in the game, there’s still a level of care and respect for the artist who is asking you to feature on something that’s so personal to them.

You have a tour coming up next year. What can fans expect from a FLO show?

Stella: A level up! We are going to work super hard to put on an incredible show with great movement for the new music. Seeing Kehlani’s show every night really inspired us. To even think about things that we may not have thought about before.

Jorja: Every night that we had the energy to watch that show, we watched it and each time we saw something different. Even from watching her choices of changes throughout the tour, it was very inspiring to not feel limited to what we rehearse. It is much more than rehearsing a set, it is your craft.

What are the plans going forward for FLO?

Renée: With this album, we would have solidified our sound and solidified ourselves as artists and a girl group. We just want to sing our music everywhere and do more live performances. We want to be really present, especially in the UK [scene], and really connect to the people who really support us. We want our music to travel worldwide and be known as the girl group of our generation.

Photography: Tom Emmerson