A Quick Chat With Charlie Lane

Meet Charlie Lane, the Naarm-based indie-pop artist whose evocative sound captures the intricacies of emotion and experience. Charlie invites listeners into her heartfelt world as she has today released her single ‘Ginger’ alongside the announcement of her debut album, I’m Okay Now But I Wasn’t, coming on October 18.  ‘Ginger’, her first song written at just 16, serves as a poignant tribute to her late stepdad, encapsulating the tenderness and turmoil of youth. With its lush instrumentation and haunting vocals, the track explores themes of love, grief, and connection, reflecting Charlie’s journey and artistic evolution. Join us as we dive deeper into her inspiring story, the powerful messages behind her music and more.

Can you tell us what this track means to you and what you want people to take away from it?

‘Ginger’ was the first song I’d ever written by myself at 16 - 17 years old. It reflects the emotional turmoil I was going through at the time I guess. I was in my first really destructive romantic relationship with you guessed it, a ginger, and I didn’t really have anyone to talk to about it.

I felt very misplaced, misunderstood in my family relationships too, so I wrote this track about pushing someone away but wanting them to come back.

One day a couple of years later this other ginger head came into the family. Mum's new boyfriend Garrick (Gaz). They later married. Ginger was his favorite track. He came to all my gigs, and was such a fan of the Aus music scene too esp Paul Kelly and Hoodoo Gurus. Unfortunately he passed during covid from cancer. I decided to re-make the bridge and put out the track as an ode to Gaz.  He was a good one.

I hope people can connect with this one whether they’re grieving, lonely or in love.

Your debut album 'I'm Okay But I Wasn't' releases next month, can you tell us a little bit more about it?

Life can be hard sometimes, my album is a collection of a lifetime of songs and struggles that finds something beautiful in that I guess. It's eleven songs written from my perspective of life, as a disabled and queer woman.

It's a celebration of collaboration, Mixed and co produced by Rohan Sforcina, known best for his work with the amazing band Oh Mercy, mastered by Lachlan Carrick, who has previously worked on really cool things like Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, and songs feature the talents of beautiful and humble Adam Heath (also co producer), Louis Spencely, Jasmine Johnston, Jethro Kalt, Emma Kelly, and Halo Vocal Ensemble, this album both delves into community and explores the depths of loneliness. Genre wise, it bounces from indie folk, indie pop with a sprinkle of rock.

Who were some of your influences when creating the album, and why?

Daniel Johnston, Alex Lahey, Samia, Kate Nash, Amy Winehouse, The National, Phoebe Bridges, The Black Kids, SantiGold, Florence & The Machine, Courtney Barnett, Little Simz so many honestly. It was tough sometimes to leave things on the album alone because of how many artists influenced me. Whether that was with the way I wrote and structured the songs or musically, it was a lot. 

What's the creative process for you, from writing through to recording?

This album was about bringing back a lot of older material I had worked on with Lyra Calabiano. Or like Ginger, really, really old!  Sometimes I found older songs I was going to trash just need more collaboration. With these tracks, I brought them to Adam Heath a few years later, and we started working from very raw skeleton tracks. I always started with the lyrics, writing them down in the creative work space I used at Oneos in Footscray, or home in the garage. I might do a little bit of a melody line over the top to start with, but I usually would go home or to the work studio and immediately open playlists I’d created for inspiration, then listen to as much as I could as to get the sounds I was thinking about using and give Adam and the others for  references. A lot was done digitally through voice memos, emailing back and forwarth because of covid lockdowns and bouts of illness. It was so nice to finally come together in the studio and bring this collection of stories and work to life.

What do you think makes a great album?

I think most importantly  a great support network. That includes all the great collaborative partners,  masterer, producers, all musicians involved in the project.

 It was so important and helpful for me to bounce ideas off the team I had for “ I’m Okay Now But I Wasn’t”. An album is such a team effort, so when you have a good community of friends and mentors to help it really does make for a successful project.

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?

1. Mark Ronson as a producer for sure! He’s worked with some of my favorite musicians in the industry like Amy Winehouse ( producer of the year for Back to Black), Lily Allen, and his own work is amazing too.

2. Kate Miller - Heidke. I did not shut up about all of Kate Miller Heidki through my entire high school life. My best friend Toni and I would sneak out of school jump in her car and go for a drive whilst blasting Kate’s first album Little Eve singing “ Ducks Don’t Need Satilites”

3. Kate Nash. Same as above, my friend Toni and I got really into Kate Nash in year 12. We’d blast “ Made Of Bricks” out the car windows and sing “Mariella”. I couldn’t imagine writing with this queen. I’m so inspired by her vulnerability and fearlessness.

4. Amy Taylor (Amyl and the Sniffers) I’ve been watching a lot of Youtube videos of Amy live and how she interacts with her crowds. She also doesn’t have a secondary instrument. She’s so bare and raw and I fucking love it. I’d love to write or just sing/ chat with Amy and understand how she takes full control in the studio and on stage.

5. Little simz. Her songs, her lyrics are so empowering. I have always wanted to collab with Simz after hearing her song "Dead Body" the first time. Stunned me!

When not working on music, what other creative outlet/s do you have?

I draw a bit, I love going to the NGV. There is always something on. Otherwise I’m usually going to local gigs getting inspiration.

Who are some local artists we should check out?

Definitely go check out  Queenie, Paxi, Eastbound Buzz, Eliza Hull, MudRat, Emily South, Liam Wright, Thndo, Jeane, Batts, Mathilde Anne, Elizabeth M. Drummond, Kaiyah Mercedes, Magnets, Lily Violette, Gordon Holland and band, Emily South and of course all the others I’ve forgotten that are either currently releasing, playing or recording. Some I’m yet to see live but I can’t bloody wait!!

Winter or summer and why?

I’m definitely a Winter gal. I'm pale as. I don’t tan, I get burnt like a lobster on a bad day no matter, the slip slop or the slap. Even if I’m in a wetty, I’m done for. I do love the sun, plus half the fam live in the Sunshine Coast but I also have a condition called POTs and let me tell you, it does nottt like the heat. It’s also pretty hard to sing and play in hot conditions, it’s already bloody boiling on stage with lighting. I’ll stick to winter I think.  I’m forever changing.  And that very much reflects the album too. 

Lastly, when your album releases in October, what will you do to celebrate?

It’s going to be released on Friday, October 18th. I know there's got to be a pretty good show on that night, and I’m prepping a spesh listening party at the moment for my first pre-order pals with my stunning manager Cassie, so I think we’ll be having some sort of “it just actually happened” celebratory party. I’ll be having the BIGGEST SLEEP after that and prepping for rehearsals with the band as we have the album launch and gigs coming up on November 15th at the Cactus lounge and then we’re going on a mini regional after that. I’m not going to lie, I’m stoked. It’s such a good way to end the year!

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