LA Music Review | Art, stories and advice
Catchy, empowering, and full of fireworks!
Hi Lady Charles, welcome to LA Music Review! Tell us a little bit about you and your music.
Lady Charles is a diverse artist recognized for their abilities as a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and a shape-shifting enchantress in the realm of art-rock.
“If you’re dissatisfied with the reality you see, create the reality you desire.” That’s precisely Lady Charles did. In the unrest of 2020, they dreamed up a sweet, stylish, and tolerant society, harmoniously coexisting in a universe plush with brown shag and splashes of purple and pink.
Start streaming “Child of the Night” here:
Congrats on the release! What was your inspiration when you were writing this project?
Released on August 18, 2023. Child of the Night is, in the context of the play, the song where the younger character does their solo dance. In the context of my life it’s about my late teens/early 20’s as I came of age unsure of where I was going and who exactly I was. I used to explore Toronto by bike every night and the desolate city landscapes would fill me with a longing for something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
Meaning? Purpose? Something to long for? In any case I felt a kinship with the character in the play at that moment and felt I needed to re-arrange the song to be a little more disco so they could use it in the play. The track embarks on a musical journey, transitioning from progressive rock influences to intense synthscapes and finally reaching a soaring, anthemic chorus with spirited disco grooves woven throughout. Lady Charles, performing most of the instruments themselves, with drums by Francy Karema, showcases a remarkable evolution in their love for intricate, grandiose soundscapes, as established on the “Manic Pixie Dream World” LP.
Drawing inspiration from a wide range of artists including David Bowie, Chic, Late of the Pier, of Montreal, Kate Bush, MGMT, U2, and more, this track serves as a rock epic in miniature.
In an era of shorter, hook-centric songs, Lady Charles stands in contrast, delivering self-contained sonic odysseys that challenge listener expectations and reward them with moments of grand pop euphoria.
As Charles explains, “I adore pop songwriting, but I’m not fond of the tendency for pop music to rely on formulas, as it quickly becomes monotonous.
What lessons would you like to impart to your audience?
I wrote this song with the aim of creating something incredibly catchy and powerful while offering a musical journey rather than a conventional pop song. The structure aligns more with progressive rock, the sound channels the indie and disco vibes of the 2000s and 1970s, and the verses are wordless; I broke many songwriting conventions. I believe the result possesses a kind of magic that captivates you on its own terms.”
Anything else we should know about? Upcoming events?
Lady Charles is finishing their Oh Boy! EP, and planning a unique covers
album project. Pondering their successes, their manic pixie journey, and their
future, Lady Charles says: “When I decided to do this, I wanted to be
uncompromising in my vision. I put a lot of myself into this, and seeing it connect, and have a positive impact on people means so much to me.”
Connect with Lady Charles
