CHARLES UNVEILS SOPHOMORE ALBUM WITH BLINDFOLDS ON
Toronto, ON (April 7, 2016) – Winner of the 2015 John Lennon Song writing Contest (Pop Category), Chloe Charles’ self-produced sophomore album With Blindfolds On launches in Toronto with a series of back-to-back concerts at The Burdock on May 26th and May 27th. With Blindfolds On takes listeners on a genre-less musical journey that organically weaves its way through pop, jazz, folk, soul and classical influences. Recorded and mixed in Toronto, Berlin and New York, the 14 song project’s eclectic yet highly accessible sounds come as a by-product of her binary existence. “My sound and my life has always expressed this curious duality; living between Europe (Berlin) and Toronto, being both black and white (bi-racial), observing both the rich and poor,” says the stepsister of Julian Lennon, the late Beatles John Lennon’s first child. “My inspirations therefore are quite varied. People don’t know where to place me and I often wonder why they bother to try…music does not fit in a box.”
Boasting highly unique and stylized soundscapes, With Blindfolds On comes as the follow up to Charles’ critically acclaimed 2013 debut album Break the Balance which received major accolades from a wide range of esteemed publications including Billboard Magazine, Rolling Stone, Mojo, London Times and Elle. During this time Charles racked up an impressive string of noteworthy Awards and accolades (e.g. 2014 Sirius/XM Indie Award, Harbourfront Centre’s Soundclash Award) and enjoyed stints supporting buzz worthy acts including Sixto Rodriguez (Searching for Sugarman), Anna Calvi, and Naturally 7 throughout Europe.
In fact, it was between touring relentlessly over the last three years – during the summer of 2014 Charles played 12 festivals in eight countries including North Sea Jazz, WOMAD, Love Supreme, Women of the World – that Charles began working on her most personalized record to date. By seamlessly blending the sounds of both of her bands; one from Europe that leans more towards her orchestral influences, and the other from Canada that appealed to her pop, soul and folk sensibilities, With Blindfolds On brings to life the sounds that Charles has wowed audiences with in her scintillating live concert sets at festivals ranging from Jazzahead (Germany) and London Jazz Festival (UK) to Crossing Borders (Holland).
Charles’ art has always closely imitated her life, and after going through a trying one year span in 2013 when her father, grandfather, aunt, and two uncles all passed away within a few months of each other, it forced her to dig much deeper than usual for creative inspiration. On tracks like “Hold Me” written while on tour during the winter in the prairies, Charles boldly speaks of her own “inner conflict between feeling lonely and wanting someone to depend on, and then coming to the realization that in the end we are all alone and can choose whether to be happy or not.” She adds: “You can either shrivel up in your own dark cocoon or you can break out as a changed person, with new strengths and a renewed appreciation for life.” Other noteworthy tracks include “Wool Sweater”, “Take Me Naked” and “Black and White” which recounts some of the trials and tribulations of growing up with a single mother.
Listen to the With Blindfolds On advance album sampler here:
https://soundcloud.com/chloecharles/sets/with-blindfolds-on
Tackling themes of loss, lust, love and yearning, Charles’ hypnotizing voice coupled with her and her band’s sparsely orchestrated yet three dimensional orchestral sounds, position her as one of Canada’s brightest new singer songwriters. With the release of With Blindfolds On, 2016 will be a banner year for Chloe Charles.
What: Chloe Charles With Blindfolds On album release party
Where: The Burdock (1184 Bloor St. West)
When: May 26, May 27
Time: 8:30 pm, 9:30 pm
Admission: $10 advance / $12 door
Tickets: burdockto.com
For Chloe Charles press photos go here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jh0dq99acjj6ezf/AAAVSq9sXjHPECivt5ESXpc2a?dl=0
