Q: In what ways have your own travels inspired your debut single, “SOLO”?
Charles Edward: Honestly it was a really weird process for me because I wrote this about 3 weeks before leaving for my own first solo trip. I left for about 2 months to travel all across Europe and Africa, and the more I was travelling the more this song started to resonate with me. Initially, I had written this about someone in my life, but I then saw myself kind of start to fill those shoes and it brought me a lot closer to the song.
Q: What do you want listeners to feel while listening to “SOLO”?
Charles Edward: I guess it doesn’t matter that much to me, as long as you feel something then we’re good. Because you could listen to this and say “omg, this is about me.” You could say it’s about someone you know, it can be about something you want to experience in your life, or you can just like the music or something like that. But in the end I want everyone to have their own experience with this.
Q: Who are some of your own musical influences?
Charles Edward: I’ve gotta go with the one and only, John Mayer. I mean, ever since I picked up the guitar at 15, he’s been a great source of inspiration, motivation, but especially a great role model. He’s just an open book, a master of his craft, and seeing him work his magic on a stage is enough to convince anyone that he’s got an extraordinary talent. Justin Bieber’s style has always kind of been in the back of my mind when it comes to aesthetics and stuff like that. And to mention a few more, Jeremy Zucker, Johnny Orlando, and Conan Gray.
Q: In your opinion, what are your main goals as an artist?
Charles Edward: Honestly at this point in my career, I’m 20, I’m just starting out, I think it’s just about making what I love and hopefully it resonates with people. So far the most meaningful interactions I’ve had with listeners is people telling me that this song helped them in a way, and it’s just crazy to me that I get to be in this position where people are resonating with my music. It’s really heartwarming.
Q: What has the most impact upon your songwriting?
Charles Edward: Every song I’ve ever written, comes from an underlying fear I have within situations in my life. For “SOLO,” my girlfriend at the time, was leaving to go travel, and all this new uncertainty of maintaining a long distance relationship was swirling around in my brain. And one night I sat in my studio and I just had to get these emotions out because I couldn’t really understand my feelings and the whole process is really kind of therapeutic in a way. It gets me to admit things I’m not even conscious about yet.
Q: What can we expect from you as far as future releases?
Charles Edward: I’m currently in the process of finalizing my first full length album, which I’m hoping will come out really soon. But before that happens, there might be a new single coming out really really soon, and I’m really excited for that one to come out.
Interviewed by Travis Boyer
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