Emma Charles has shared “25” today, the folk-pop standout’s soulful meditation on growing up and growing apart from a close friend amidst a sea of life changes. Fusing the sounds of Laurel Canyon with present-day pop sensibilities, the 22-year-old Charles delivers an instantly memorable vocal performance rich with catharsis against a lush, breezy soundscape. “25” is the latest gem from Charles’ ongoing partnership with producer and co-writer Doug Schadt, who has previously collaborated with Maggie Rogers, Ashe, and Finneas O’Connell.
Listen to “25” via Ones To Watch, who, deem it “a timeless song” and call Charles a “glowing folk-pop artist”: http://ones2wat.ch/1dc
Watch the 1960s variety show-inspired “25” lyric video via Wonderland Magazine who praise the track’s “sun-soaked guitar strums and heavenly vocal loops”: https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2020/05/29/premiere-emma-charles-25/
“I wrote ’25’ in LA with my producer and co-writer, Doug Schadt,” says Charles. “We came upon the idea of exploring the nuances of platonic friendships, which are much less sung about than romantic relationships. I have had a fair share of friendships in my life that have not panned out the way I had imagined they would, and there the idea for ’25’ was born. We created the track in LA, and then we tracked vocals and finalized production in Doug’s studio in Brooklyn.”
“25” is the first offering from Charles’ upcoming new EP, which is centered around a whirlwind year of life experiences: graduating college, immediately going out on her first major tour, and leaving her small Connecticut hometown for Los Angeles. Aided by Doug Schadt’s masterful production, Charles utilizes her “beam of radiant light” (LA Weekly) and “effortlessly beautiful vocals” (American Songwriter) to full effect. More information on the new EP, and more new music, will come this summer.
