This week saw some amazing new releases, but this debut EP from CHARLOTTE is certainly one that should be on your radar. Unheard of in the music industry three months ago, CHARLOTTE simply released two songs that gained an enormous amount of traction, out of the blue, leading up to this week’s debut EP release, titled Nowhere To Hide.
CHARLOTTE, full name Charlotte Beard, is a singer-songwriter from Hull, UK. She started singing at the age of four years old and joined in her grandparents touring band which saw her tour all across the UK and Europe. At the age of 11, she joined a choir, Voice In A Million, and went on to perform at The O2 and Wembley Arena. In her early teens, she started to perform in pubs until her family moved to Singapore – this is where she started writing and crafting her own songs. Last year, she was discovered by Grammy-nominated music producer and songwriter, Toby Gad, who is known for Beyoncé’s “If I Was A Boy”, Fergie’s “Big Girls Don’t Cry”, John Legend’s “All Of Me”, Demi Lovato’s “Skyscraper”, and Nicole Scherzinger’s “Don’t Hold Your Breath”. After one writing session, he signed her immediately, making her the first artist and songwriter signed to his publishing company. She released her debut track “I Tell Lies” in February 2019 and followed that up with the release of “Nervous” in April 2019, the latter of which went viral, gaining almost 1 million Spotify streams. Now, she has released her EP containing two additional unheard tracks.
Each track has something special about it, and so we have decided to give each song the spotlight with our track by track EP review. CHARLOTTE certainly has Nowhere To Hide with this debut EP.
I Tell Lies
This is her opening track and her very first single, it’s clear CHARLOTTE has a blues and souls kind of voice wrapped up in a jazz and indie style. “I Tell Lies” starts this EP off right, showcasing her voice and vocal range as well as the sort of music we can expect from her. It’s a grower of a track that certainly becomes catchy after the first minute. She sings about telling lies to fit in so that she doesn’t feel singled out and alone but at the same time she knows it is wrong and that she wishes she can take those lies back because she doesn’t want to let people down.
Nervous
Second track, second single, “Nervous” is her most-streamed track to date on Spotify, and follows “I Tell Lies” perfectly. Channelling the frustrations of mixed romantic signals in this track, CHARLOTTE shines as she easily appeals to how we’ve all felt once upon a time in our lives and we can hear that nervousness in her voice – that feeling, that moment, that emotion, that we’ve all felt. It’s catchy with a cute twist as we all know how it feels. Her voice takes on a whole new level, reminding us of a mixture of Jess Glynne and Becky Hill.
Just Me
Quite possibly our favourite track on the album, “Just Me” is an empowering track that sees CHARLOTTE battle her insecurities, confessing every single one of them out loud and deciding that she is just herself, no one else, and she’s better than her insecurities. The arrangement of this song leaves us paralysed as the chorus is stripped back, so much so that her vocal manages to run deep into all our thoughts. It’s a quiet strength, one that impacts the track heavily for all the right reasons and shows off her high vocal skill.
Somebody To Hold
This final song, “Somebody To Hold”, has been gaining traction ever since it was released. It focuses on loneliness, which is a major emotional state of mind, which varies from person to person. CHARLOTTE uses her platform to speak out on this and her own experience with loneliness, and you can really hear how much this means to her, how she really wants somebody to be there for her so that she, in turn, can also be there for them. It’s one powerful song and one that CHARLOTTE sings beautifully and passionately.
Overall, this EP is soulful in every way, with CHARLOTTE impressing both vocally and lyrically. She really knows how to write great songs and incorporate her all into singing them. It’s hard to believe that she is a brand new artist, this year, and we’re not surprised that Toby Gad signed her on the spot. We truly believe she is one to watch in the coming years, especially with her songwriting capabilities and her amazing vocal cords.
Nowhere To Hide EP is available to download and stream, right now, via Turtle Tunes. She is also set to perform at five gigs at the start of July, we really encourage you to go and see this amazing singer-songwriter live, before she becomes a star. Tickets can be found here. She previously sold out her first solo gig at The Waiting Room where support came from BBC Introducing.
Tour Dates:
- 1st July – The Waiting Room, London (support to WRABEL)
- 2nd July – The Grand Social, Dublin
- 3rd July – St Pancras Old Church, London
- 4th July – Barn on The Farm Festival, Gloucester
- 5th July – The Polar Bear, Hull *Rescheduled Date*
What do you make of CHARLOTTE’s debut EP Nowhere To Hide? Let us know on Twitter @CelebMix.
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