Interview by Ivona Homicianu
Charlotte Sands is testing the waters for the next chapter of her artistry; with the release of “Afterlife,” she expresses her testament to love that persists beyond a lifespan. Love is not a new subject for the artist, whose previous project is named Love and Other Lies. However, it is the first time that she explores it in such an open-hearted and oddly optimistic manner.
Sands debuted in 2018 and made a name for herself through her electrifying music, which is made to make you dance or slowly consider your emotions. Either way, her intense honesty and authentic songwriting ring true with a lot of listeners. She has created a signature image with her blue hair and her Y2K inspired style, as well as her distinct sound and vocals.
What makes Sands special is the connection she builds through her music. Her introspective manner of songwriting conveys her understanding and compassion to those suffering in silence and tells them, “I see you.” The tracks on her debut album can we start over? are a perfect example of her internal monologue. “spite” fantasizes on becoming present in an ex’s life, “blindspot” shows the difference between noticing someone while they don’t notice you, while “on the outside” gives a voice to her fears and insecurities and wonders if others know how she feels. Given the intimate setting of her concerts, as well as her interactions with the crowd, her shows are a place of catharsis and human connection, offering a safe haven in the middle of a world that moves too fast.
I see “Afterlife” as a reassurance towards herself and the listener that although a relationship might be temporary, it doesn’t invalidate the meaningfulness of that time spent together. Sands has taken on various subjects with her new singles, “HUSH” is an upbeat anthem that shuts down negativity coming from outside sources, while “neckdeep” sees the dishonesty in a blooming relationship through a visual metaphor.
““Afterlife” was written about the idea of having somebody in your life that you love so much and you have such a close bond with that you’re already grieving the idea of them not being around in any capacity. Just the thought of them not being a part of your life anymore sometimes takes up more space in your mind than the actual beauty and experience of being with them,” Sands explained about the sentiment of the song. “Being a big feeler and an emotional person, I go through a lot of phases of feeling the happier that I am, or the more that I love being around somebody, the more I am mourning the idea of not being around them forever.” As a listener, her lyrics resonate deeply with this sentiment. Fear of abandonment is human nature when we get close to someone, but as someone who feels connections intensely, making sense of past experiences and fears holds a lot of importance.
When asked about the plan for her new singles, she said, “I’m trying to decide what music I want in the world, and slowly figure out what feels creative and exciting to me.” She wants to do justice to the time she is in, by being intentional about her releases, but she does see the possibility of the singles living in a universe together along with other exciting songs she’s done.
“Sonically, everything I’ve been doing has been a little bit different, where each song is pulling from a different creative inspiration. There’s songs that I’m really excited for audience members to listen to, more rock leaning songs. They’re songs that I think that they will like and gravitate towards more,” she develops, “There’s also very 2000s and 90s acoustic guitar rock that I think some other people who listen or more pop leaning fans will really gravitate towards. I know my audience so well, there’s people I genuinely picture when I’m thinking about releasing this music. There will be a favorite for everybody.”
She expresses excitement for people’s response to her future releases, admitting that her favorites aren’t necessarily in line with the crowd favorites. About her debut album, she admits, “I love “blindspot.” That was always a song for me that I felt really proud of, and I felt like it really captured the exact mindset and place I was in, in my life at that time.” She continues with the difficulties of being a songwriter, “Sometimes it’s really hard to write songs that so accurately reflect and represent our experiences. Our job is to try and do that as truthfully and accurately as possible. […] Because of the fact that it was so cathartic and so therapeutic to write while I was experiencing those emotions, that song has always had a really special place in my heart.”
Given the variety of the themes explored in her songs, I asked whether there are any subjects she would like to write about in a future song. Sands replied, “Getting older and the expectations of women as they age. I’m really excited about the experience and process of getting older, and writing about that. Everything that a woman has to go through, and especially the pressure of it while you’re older. There is this loneliness of being an adult sometimes, and as I grow up and as my audience grows up as well, I really am excited to be able to experience that together and talk about that.” She highlights the importance of community as we advance in age. “I want to do my best to make sure that people know that they have a community of people that are still there with them and still supporting them and still loving them.”
Sands is not only a singer-songwriter, she radiates creativity overall. “I started pottery last month, because I had a friend do it, and she invited me. I love it so much. It’s such a full body thing. You have to be paying so much attention and be so focused. Also, you’re using your hands, which is so important to try and do things that you’re actually working with your hands. It’s all very grounding for me. I’ve also loved the process of making and finishing something in weeks and so, you don’t get the end result for a really long time, but you still have to put in all this time and effort. You have to just be patient and you still don’t know if it’s gonna exist, because so often in ceramics, things explode and break.”
She talks of the valuable lessons she learned, such as patience and slowing down. “Another hobby of mine that I think is really similar in the grounding aspect is… I love horses. I grew up riding horses, and I try to do as much as possible because that connection with animals is so vital. I always have this calm of… if this was my life, I actually would still be able to be a happy person. If this was all I got to do every day, I could find peace in that. I think there’s a beauty in knowing that if you made your life as small as possible, it would still feel big for you.”
When it comes to her career as a music artist, she also designs her own merch, does her make-up looks and directs creative visuals. Her aesthetic is noticeable with her album can we start over? which harbours a distinct nightly blue vibe. “Making that first album, I definitely felt like I was still trying to figure out who I am and the world around me, and how I want to be perceived as an artist. I’ve realised I’m somebody who changes a lot. I change my style constantly, and I change what I listen to constantly, and I’m just somebody who lets the world drive me in different directions. That’s always been something that I’ve struggled with, especially for covers and things like that, where you know you’re going to see it for the rest of your life. It’s hard to make decisions when you know it’s not just that instant, it’s going to be something that you really have to stand by and love for at least a year.”
That is why she is excited going into her next era, which will allow her to find a way to be all of those things at once. “Giving ourselves the freedom to change our minds and to grow and evolve and be a different version of ourselves every single day, I think that’s such an exciting concept. Slowly over time, that just narrows down your actual identity, more so, to the point where you can know what you like and who you are. You have to try everything, and you have to take risks. I saw somebody the other day talking about making yourself uncomfortable more often and just making choices such as if you feel like you would normally wear this thing, grab something else. I love the idea of making little choices to make yourself more uncomfortable sometimes.”
If Sands was a color, she would be olive green. “That color is the one that I look at and it always makes me feel grounded and back to myself and my center. My blankets on my bed are my favorite color, and I try to always have things around the house. There’s a girl who I love on Tiktok who makes everything around her pink, and she’s like, “Every time I look at this color, it reminds me that I made a choice to make my life something that I enjoy.” I think that idea is so beautiful. You remind yourself that you are prioritizing the things that you like in your life and the things that make you feel good.”
When asked about her recommendation for the Karma! Playlist, she answered, “I feel like I should say “Afterlife,” but “HUSH” is just so fun. If it’s a warm day, you listen to “HUSH,” and if you’re just wanting to drive and vibe and reflect and possibly cry, then “Afterlife.””
As she looks forward to this next chapter of her artistry, she wants to get to know herself better. “I’m really excited to get to know my audience better and to be able to create exciting experiences for people. I’ve been off the road for so much time now that the biggest thing for me is, I am just so excited to tour again. I miss so many people so much, all the people that I’ve seen at all these shows for so long. Also, making music and the fact that I get to do this every day. That alone is a really wonderful feeling and experience.”
As I reflected on the conversation, I found a great deal of inspiration in the topics we discussed. Sands is a genuine person whose music and artistry reflect her character in a truthful manner. Throughout the interview, her thoughtfulness was at the forefront as she spoke in a calm and soothing voice. Her songs are a testament to her talent as a songwriter. She is able to put into concise words such an extensive thought process, fitting perfectly with the sound she curated for herself. Although I already had great admiration for Sands as an artist, getting to speak to her showed her intentionality and broadness when it comes to translating her lived experiences to her art. Above everything, her kindness and genuine nature left an impression that will be hard to erase.
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