Charlotte Sands is putting. The electrical blue hair is perhaps the very first thing you discover, however it’s the method she speaks, considerate, self-aware, and utterly unfiltered, that retains you hanging on each phrase. Sands has constructed her profession on the planet of other rock whereas by no means fairly becoming neatly into one field, one thing that feels mirrored in each her music and her character. As somebody who often dyes the information of my hair brilliant colours for a month every summer time earlier than inevitably chopping it again right into a blunt bob, I went into our dialog already a bit enamored with how effortlessly cool she appears. Any intimidation rapidly disappeared as soon as we began speaking, starting with a shared appreciation for the oddly quaint suburban pockets of Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. Charlotte laughed, admitting, “I by no means thought I’d be a suburbs woman.”
That blend of confidence and self-reflection runs by Satellite tv for pc, her new album, which finds the choice rock artist increasing each sonically and emotionally. Initially from simply exterior Boston, Massachusetts, Sands spent a lot of her twenties constructing her profession in Nashville earlier than relocating to Los Angeles on the finish of 2024. Written after years of fixed touring and the discharge of her first full-length album “can we begin over?,” “Satellite tv for pc” captures a distinct chapter for Sands: one outlined by stability, experimentation, and a rising belief in her personal instincts. After we spoke, we lined all the things from meticulous promotion methods and style fluidity to Pinterest imaginative and prescient boards and the quiet confidence that comes with lastly creating music on her personal phrases.
Would you say you’re extra Sort A or Sort B with regards to selling your album?
I believe I’ve positively develop into extra Sort A over the previous couple of years. I genuinely don’t assume I used to be ever like that earlier than, but it surely grew to become obligatory in my profession to study these abilities. Now I like a technique. I like an Excel sheet. If I may have a slideshow or a Venn diagram of each doable factor, that’s heaven to me. I’ve fairly intense ADHD, and generally the one method I can perform is by being overly organized. All the pieces is sort of a yarn map in my head. There’s a swap between my inventive mind and my enterprise mind, and I’ve discovered how one can use each.
You wrote “Satellite tv for pc” after placing out your first full-length album and doing loads of touring. How a lot of the aftermath of that interval made its method into the method of creating this album?
It was attention-grabbing as a result of it was the primary time I had ever taken actual time without work from touring. Whereas scripting this album, I used to be truly secure in my regular life and never touring always. I used to be in a constant setting, which I had by no means actually had within the final 5 years.
I additionally needed to study a brand new ability. Whenever you’re used to being busy and overstimulated on a regular basis, your physique nearly stays in response mode. You’re always considering, “What’s at this time going to convey?” Generally it’s simpler to create from that state of panic than from peace and calm. I needed to relearn how one can be a author and work out how one can discover inspiration with out the chaos. I believe it’s simply a part of getting older.
Your final album title was a query — “can we begin over?” — whereas “Satellite tv for pc” feels very sturdy and declarative. What’s one thing you used to query that now you’re feeling extra strong about?
Over the last mission and that part of my life, I felt like I always needed to show myself. As a girl in rock music particularly, individuals are all the time searching for methods to discredit you — your abilities, your work, even your character.
I felt like I wanted to show that I deserved to be right here, that I may truly sing, that individuals ought to take me significantly. I used to be all the time interested by whether or not different individuals would really like one thing or respect it.
Now I really feel way more assured experimenting and making completely different selections. Mockingly, I really feel extra snug collaborating with completely different individuals and attempting completely different genres as a result of I’m not always fearful about proving myself anymore.
I remind myself that I can’t create one thing significant for different individuals except I’m doing proper on my own first. The perfect music comes from giving myself the liberty to belief my instincts. I owe that to the followers who’ve been right here since day one — the individuals shopping for the tickets and the merch. One of the best ways I may give again to them is by making one of the best music I presumably can, and that solely occurs after I cease listening to everybody else on a regular basis.
Fluidity of style is one thing that constantly seems in your work. Is that one thing you’re consciously interested by whenever you’re making music? For instance, did you go into “HUSH” considering, “I’m going to make a dance tune”?
That tune is definitely humorous as a result of I totally wrote it considering it could be a pitch tune. We had been writing heavier, extra emotional songs for the album and I used to be actually burnt out from digging so deep into myself.
So I stated, “Let’s simply write one thing enjoyable. I’ve this random refrain and it could be enjoyable to write down a dance tune.” Instantly the fellows I used to be working with have been like, “It’s important to minimize this. It’s so catchy.”
However I couldn’t see it at first. I genuinely thought I’d by no means put it out as a result of it didn’t really feel prefer it made sense for me. Then my producer Keith, who labored on many of the album, recorded stay drums over the observe and despatched it again to me. The second I heard it I knew precisely what the tune must be.
Generally in a session you realize instantly what a tune goes to be. Different occasions you need to sit with it. Loads of the time I’m additionally interested by the stay present. The place does this tune match within the set? What vitality does the present want in that second? Will I really feel excited after I hear the cue for that tune in my in-ears? Desirous about the stay expertise actually helps information the manufacturing and the vitality of the songs.
Your songs transfer between assured, nearly audacious moments and darker, extra weak ones. Which lane are you extra snug writing in?
Actually, it’s a lot simpler for me to write down unhappy or emotional songs. That is truly the primary album the place I really feel like there are a number of completely satisfied songs.
After I’m writing in my journal, it’s often in regards to the issues I don’t wish to carry round inside my physique anymore. Writing a tune about these emotions lets me create a spot for them to stay exterior of myself. That feels very pure.
Attempting to clarify happiness will be more durable. Generally these emotions really feel extra personal, like one thing I wish to maintain onto as an alternative of dissecting.
With this album, although, I needed it to really feel like the total human expertise. I needed each emotion to exist someplace within the mission in order that hopefully everybody can discover at the very least one tune that speaks to them on any given day.
Which tune got here collectively the quickest?
Most likely “Sunday.” That was one other second the place we simply utterly let go within the session. I knew I needed an acoustic tune, and I had been listening to artists like Sheryl Crow, Michelle Department, Bonnie Raitt, and Dido.
We began taking part in round with some guitar chords, and I went into the vocal sales space and principally made up sounds and phrases on the spot. Many of the lyrics got here from these first takes. We saved them as a result of the entire level of the tune was capturing a sense as an alternative of overanalyzing it. It was very low stress. It felt like the very first thing we stated was the fitting factor.
Which tune required probably the most care to get proper?
“Water Me Down.” That was one I felt like I needed to be very cautious with as a result of I needed it to be correct to my experiences. It’s one thing I’ve needed to write down about for a very long time.
I believe loads of ladies can relate to being in relationships the place somebody slowly tries to make you smaller. You see it occur with associates, you see it occur to your self, and it’s unusual how the issues individuals past love about you possibly can finally develop into the issues they resent.
It’s a sophisticated emotion, however I felt like if I didn’t embody that tune I’d be doing a disservice to individuals who may hear it and acknowledge that have in themselves. I’m actually glad it ended up on the album.
How do you select which songs to launch as singles?
I attempt to decide on songs that symbolize completely different sides of the album. “Push” reveals the extra digital pop facet. “Afterlife” leans into the acoustic, songwriter a part of me, which is the sort of music I grew up listening to.
Even after I’m writing rock music, I by no means really feel like I’m just one factor. I’m all the time each of these sides without delay.
Then there’s “Neck Deep,” which has the heavier rock components blended with electronics. I needed the singles to offer individuals a small preview of all of the completely different instructions the album goes in.
I do know you’re a Pinterest individual, and so am I. What did the imaginative and prescient board for this album appear like?
This course of was actually completely different from the primary album. With that report, all the things fell into place instantly. We wrote the primary 5 singles in 5 days. I had been ready so lengthy to make my first album that all the things simply felt apparent.
This time it was a lot more durable. I had all of the music completed however couldn’t choose visuals or paintings. Each tune felt prefer it lived in a totally completely different universe.
Ultimately I believed possibly I ought to begin on the finish of the method as an alternative of the start. So I went to the place the place we usually customise vinyl and began taking a look at colours. I discovered this darkish olive inexperienced vinyl with black in it and instantly thought, “That’s the album.”
Inexperienced is grounding for me and it’s additionally my favourite shade. From there I labored backwards, connecting visuals and references for every tune like a type of detective boards with string connecting all the things.
It was a very priceless lesson. Simply since you really feel caught doesn’t imply you might be. Generally you simply need to discover a completely different pathway to your creativity.
When throughout this course of did you progress from Nashville to Los Angeles?
That was in 2024. On the finish of that yr we had written a number of songs, together with “Satellite tv for pc,” which all the time finally ends up turning into the title observe one way or the other.
I went again to Nashville for some time and felt actually caught creatively. I used to be doing the identical issues on daily basis and going to the identical locations each weekend. I spotted I didn’t really feel impressed there anymore.
So I moved to LA as a result of I wanted to be someplace that felt always altering. I’m so used to touring and assembly new individuals and having new conversations on daily basis. I thrive on that vitality.
It was additionally a problem to myself — beginning over in a brand new metropolis, constructing a brand new pal group, turning my relationship into lengthy distance by selection. I needed to take a danger on myself whereas I nonetheless felt hungry in my profession.
That have gave me loads of confidence whereas making the album. I felt pleased with myself for making that leap, and it pushed me to create precisely what I needed.
What do you hope listeners take away after listening to “Satellite tv for pc” for the primary time?
I hope individuals notice that human beings have a lot depth and that we’re by no means only one feeling. Even whenever you really feel caught in one thing, there are all the time different components of you present on the similar time.
Feeling deeply is a superpower. Feeling empathy for different individuals is a superpower.
If somebody listens to the album and realizes they will expertise all these feelings and nonetheless find yourself someplace peaceable — like the sensation on the finish of “Sunday” — that might imply lots to me.
Greater than something, I hope listeners really feel like they’ve a pal within the music. Even when they don’t know me personally, possibly the songs assist them put phrases to one thing they’ve felt earlier than. We’re all attempting to determine life out, making errors and getting higher alongside the way in which. Even once we really feel far other than one another, we’re nonetheless orbiting in the identical area. That’s the entire concept behind “Satellite tv for pc.”
Speaking with Charlotte Sands made it clear that “Satellite tv for pc” represents greater than only a new assortment of songs. It displays an artist studying how one can steadiness ambition with self-trust, construction with intuition, and vulnerability with confidence. Sands approaches her work with each the meticulous group of somebody who loves a spreadsheet and the emotional openness of somebody unafraid to write down in regards to the messy, difficult components of being human. That duality runs all through “Satellite tv for pc,” an album that strikes between cathartic rock, shiny pop moments, and softer reflections with out ever dropping its heart. If Sands’ objective was to seize the total spectrum of feeling and remind listeners that we’re all navigating life’s orbit collectively, “Satellite tv for pc” succeeds fantastically.
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