Let Go of My Ghosts is a pop-folk infused tune about the attempt to overcome trust issues and have faith in true love. When past experiences overweigh your optimism in romance, the process of falling in love again might uncover trust issues that simply discourage you from committing to someone new. Coming from a musical family, Oliver discovered his passion for music in his teens, teaching himself to play piano and the guitar and taking inspiration from artists such as Jack Johnson, Billy Joel, Rufus Wainwright, Josh Groban, and Ed Sheeran. After perfecting his sound, Oliver released a handful of singles including “Follow Me” in 2017 which peaked at #3 and was named “Hit of The Week” on the Quebec English charts. Oliver continued to release singles “Waiting for My Call,” “Hypnotizing,” and “Will I See You Again,” reaching over 1 million combined digital streams.
We had a chance to catch up with Oliver and here’s how it went.
Please take a moment and give us some background info about becoming an artist?
Hi, my name is Oliver Charles, I am a Montreal-based singer-songwriter and have been working on developing my singing and writing abilities over the past several years. I have been in the studio for the past 2-3 years with The Grand Brothers, who produced my first full-length album, which is getting released across this year. I knew I wanted to pursue a music career when I was 15 years old. I took singing lessons and joined a music class late in high school. To further develop my musical language, I studied in a pop songwriting college called Cegep Marie-Victorin in Montreal. This helped me with learning theory, arrangements, singing, playing the piano and the guitar, recording and producing in the studio, writing and getting familiar with performing on stage. I was a bit too shy on stage, so I auditioned and got offered leading roles in a few musicals in school, Segal Centre’s Performing Arts and Centaur Theatre. Once I graduated in 2011, I created a label, Inclusion Music Productions, with my father and literally spent the next decade learning about the industry, going to conferences, working with different producers and teachers to bring my music to what it is today. I’m now 31 years old, I’ve released a few singles that did reasonably well on Spotify and Youtube (cumulated over 1M streams) and I still feel like I’m just getting started.
Let us know a bit about your musical direction.
When I grew up, I was fascinated by a lot of different artists, but often around folk and pop. I liked what my dad listened too, like Don Mclean, Eric Clapton, Billy Joel, but I quickly got attracted to so many more genres. I really went into an admiration with Rufus Wainwright’s song writing skills and Josh Groban’s voice. I always admired Eminem, Linkin Park, Evanescence, Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson, Ed Sheeran… there’s just too many to list. This debut album is influenced by artists who brought me insight on how to blend thought-out lyrics, often about romance or personal struggles, with pop hooks and arrangements that are more acoustic, traditional and vintage. Put in a sentence, I am a pop singer-songwriter who writes and sings openly and vulnerably about romance and personal struggles.
Tell us about the recording process behind “Let Go of My Ghosts”
Once I’m confident about lyrics, chords and the overall musicality of my song, I record and produce a demo at home. For a long time, recording and producing was my weakest point, but I always adored it and it came in handy when I had to present my songs to other people. Once I had my demo, I sent it to The Grand Brothers, hoping they would be interested in recording and producing it professionally. They accepted and I learned so much from them. It’s a privilege for me to hear this final production. So many talented musicians are on this record and most of what is on there are real instruments and recorded with the knowledge and technics of our predecessors. The Grand Brothers found an artistic statement, which I also love: the back up singers and the brass section. These 3 female singers and brass help in creating a retro-vintage aesthetic that is unique to this album.
Are there any shows/live streams upcoming to showcase your talent? Before the pandemic, we had rehearsed an entire show and performed it in Sherbrooke as a start up concert to prepare us for a tour during the year. We’ve had to work around that like most artists releasing an album that same year. I’ll be releasing some homemade cover videos, which I haven’t been doing much of in the past. I will offer a few singles with music videos and live performance videos before the official release of this debut album. This will give me the time to be available for online shows and interviews. I have no official dates to offer right now, it really is a “follow me on social media” to not miss anything.
What is the biggest struggle for you as a musician at the moment?
It’s nerve racking to release music and hope it will do well, while trying not to have expectations. There is a lot of pride and hard work behind these songs and I hope people will enjoy it as much as I do.
How have you been keeping creative during the pandemic?
Home studios are the best. I’ve been focus on writing, singing, recording, producing and mixing in a new direction and on my own. This has been a blessing during COVID because I always love every second spent in the studio. It’s also a good addition to what I could already do and it is now a valuable tool to also produce. I am investing time in finding new sounds and getting involved in other projects as well. It’s pleasant to go from recording demos, to being able to create a fully produced track.
What are your plans for the rest of 2021?
I am constantly working on making my dreams come true, so my future is full of music, that’s for sure. I will definitely be co-writing and producing much more than I ever have been before. I feel like I am becoming more creative every day and will put efforts in releasing a lot more songs than I have been in the past. It’s time to come out of the studio as well and make myself available for interviews and performances. On a personal note, I plan on working on myself and try to lower my expectations in life in hopes to manage anxiety and other general struggles. I plan on becoming a better person for myself and for the people I love. I want to continue building a life with the person I love.
Is there anyone you would like to collaborate with in particular?
I really love what Charlotte Cardin is doing right now. She’s also from Montreal and I feel we could write something great together. There’s also Ed Sheeran, Mark Ronson, FINNEAS and Benny Blanco who are pretty up there in my aspirations.
When you kick back, who are some of the artists you listen to?
There are a lot, that’s for sure. I like to stay up to date with rising artists. I’ve been writing for so long, it’s difficult now to listen to music without over analysing it. I really admire Billie Eilish, YEBBA’s voice is insane in “Evergreen”, Taylor Swift’s new album is very pleasant to dive into and Bruno Mars’s “Leave The Door Open” is just amazing.
Keep up with Oliver online.
Facebook: /OliverCharlesMusic
Instagram: @olivercharlesmu
Website: www.olivercharlesofficial.com
