“Pretty Little Things” by CHARLEY starts euphoniously with a melodic blend of violin and cello notes. Guitars, drums, and CHARLEY’s powerful and resonant vocals soon follow. The beautiful instrumental composition and matter-of-fact lyrics come together in such a perfectly harmonious and unforgettable way, sure to leave you wanting to hear more from CHARLEY. We had the pleasure of interviewing CHARLEY, and here’s what she had to say:
Q: I loved the empowering lyrics of “Pretty Little Things”! Especially when you sang “Your pretty little things won’t make me love you/Pretty little things won’t make me cry/Pretty little things don’t show me how you feel inside.” It felt like a “taking back my power” moment, which I thought was brilliant. What inspired this song?
CHARLEY: I usually write songs that stem from my personal experiences. However, this song came from observing a specific relationship dynamic I’ve encountered throughout my life. I wanted this song to be a motivator for women to move on from toxic and frivolous relationships.
Q: How long did it take you to create this song and what was your creative process in making it?
CHARLEY: The hook of the song “Pretty Little Things” came to me very quickly! The minute I wrote down the phrase “Pretty Little Things” I knew I wanted it to be country/ folk influenced. The following day I pinpointed what I wanted the song to be about and the lyrics for the verse flowed out of me. It was fun to write lyrics that created a parallel between the themes of betrayal and material things. After I laid out the lyrics and melody for the song I brought it to some of my favorite collaborators Jasper Harris and Ingrid Saga.
Q: What did you enjoy the most about making this song?
CHARLEY: Producing the track with Jasper Harris was my favorite part. The song took many twists and turns during the production stage. Originally the song was rooted in the country genre, but during the production process, the song started to spill over into so many different genres such as pop, folk, and rock. It was very exciting! The biggest hurdle we faced was coming up with a way to start the track. It was a huge breakthrough moment when we recorded a string quartet for the introduction. After we added that I knew the song was complete.
Q: I see you previously opened for Lake Street Dive. How did you feel and what did you take away from that experience?
CHARLEY: This was an incredible experience. Lake Street Dive is one of my favorite bands. Their song “Good Kisser” was the first song I ever covered with a full live band. It was truly a full-circle moment and I could not believe it happened.
Q: What advice would you give to other artists trying to gain some visibility?
CHARLEY: The biggest advice I would give is to be confident. Once you get over this hurdle it is so much easier to create, perform, try new things, reach out to people, and promote yourself. I try to block out the outside world when I am creating and performing so I can focus on my thoughts and passions. This is still really hard for me to do, but when I do so many doors open for me.
Q: What would you like to say to your supporters?
CHARLEY: Every time I sit down to write a song or perform with my band it is always for myself and motivated by my passion for music, but even more fulfilling than the creative process is knowing people enjoy and relate to your songs. It gives me the motivation to continue sharing my music and happiness so that I can touch someone else’s life.
Interviewed by Zoey King
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