With her debut LP Love And Other Lies winning the Heavy Music Award for Best Breakthrough Album, touring with major artists such as My Chemical Romance, YUNGBLUD and PVRIS, over 200+ million streams across tracks, and landing a major US airplay hit with Dress, Charlotte Sands is set to release her debut album can we start over? on 24th January. The news comes along with the lead single from the Nashville-based EMO resurgence star’s sophomore release: use me.
can we start over? is the culmination of Sands’ lifelong dream, a project she waited to undertake until it aligned perfectly with her artistic vision. Remarkably, she started 2023 with no specific plan to record a full-length project. But then she flew to Los Angeles in May for sessions with Jutes, Alex Nice and Keith Ten4, and wrote her favourite song of her career so far on their first day together – something which she repeated on the following two days too.
The songs that emerged organically captured the varying facets of Charlotte’s personality, her vocal full of vulnerability and visceral power throughout. And her creativity and voice was amplified by further collaborations with Kyle Reith (Jonas Brothers), Nick Furlong (Papa Roach), Michael Whitworth (Florida Georgia Line), Matthew Marino (Jacob Sartorious), kodeblooded (Sueco), Mike Pepe (Taking Back Sunday), lil aaron (Blackbear) and Daniel Geraghty (Bryce Vine).
Of the new record Sands says, “I hope this album conveys strength, confidence, and power within vulnerability. It feels like holding a mirror to myself and reflects exactly how I feel right now in this phase of my life. I feel more secure in who I am as a person and as an artist than I’ve ever been.”
Charlotte Sands @ Hammersmith Apollo
The single, use me, was the first song she wrote for the project and the moment which kickstarted her creativity. Its surging intensity and cathartic outpouring of emotions brings all of her key strengths into one package: a soaring vocal with the power of P!nk or Kelly Clarkson, the attitude of Gwen Stefani and Avril Lavigne, a flair for songcraft which echoes Sheryl Crow, and the vehement power of Taking Back Sunday and The Maine. The Heavy Music Award winner has just got heavier.
Listen to use me below:
Sands adds, “We wrote use me at a time where I was constantly trying to please everyone around me and felt like I was continuously coming up short of their expectations. No matter how hard I tried or how much I gave, it never felt like I was good enough. This song is about finally letting go of that pressure and accepting myself for who I actually am instead of the version that other people want me to be. Creating this song was a really therapeutic experience and I felt a million times lighter afterwards. I hope it makes you feel powerful and reminds you to not put too much weight on other people’s opinions of you. Only you truly know who you are.”
Charlotte Sands starts a North American tour with The Band CAMINO tomorrow, before joining 5 Seconds Of Summer throughout their European run. She is also confirmed for next year’s Emo’s Not Dead Cruise, which features Yellowcard, Mayday Parade, Story Of The Year and many more.
Upcoming UK Tour Dates with 5 Seconds Of Summer:
OCTOBER
3rd – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
4th – AO Arena, Manchester
5th – The O2, London
Live photography of Charlotte Sands by Kalpesh Patel
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