After recently returning with his brilliant comeback single 'IF ONLY FOR A SECOND' earlier this year, New York-based artist Charcom is back once again to deliver his vibrant new offering 'TOO LATE TO LOVE YOU'.
Bringing back more of that bright and infectious electronic aesthetic he has been cultivating since he first emerged, 'TOO LATE TO LOVE YOU' makes for a wondrous return for him. With its broad and glossy textures elevating some dynamic vocals throughout, he returns to us with one of his more euphoric efforts to date here.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
When I was in preschool, I began taking piano lessons. The first piece I ever learned was Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”. Although I was hesitant at first, the more I memorized each section, the more I fell in love with the simplicity and beauty of melody – especially the way a piano can express them so naturally. Growing up, I was fortunate to have a beautiful piano in my family’s New York City apartment. After school, I would take my favorite pop music that I heard on the radio, and figure out how to play the melodies on the piano by ear. Over time, my fingers and the piano keys started developing their own relationship. When I got bored, I would improvise my own melodies. These were the first moments I really started composing. As I got older, I discovered electronic music, and fell in love with synthesizers the same way I had fallen in love with the piano. The black and white keys stayed the same, but the sounds I connected with kept evolving.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
When I was younger, I bounced between Pop, EDM, and Hip-Hop – one moment I was obsessed with Maroon 5, the next I was making Avicii beats in my room. I was simply just drawn to music that was imbued with both emotion and energy. As a teenager, I started really getting into Rap and R&B. At the end of the day, I connected to music I felt close to, whether it was a lyric that I deeply resonated with, or a beat that I couldn’t help but move to. I was always just chasing the feeling, knowing in the back of my mind, I wanted to provide something to others that my favourite artists provided to me.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
The most important ritual I practice everyday is transcendental meditation. I meditate twice a day for 20 minutes, and since learning meditation in 2018, my life has completely changed for the better. Meditating opens a portal for me to release stress and harness creativity.
Most of the time for my solo music, especially with my two latest releases “IF ONLY FOR A SECOND” and “TOO LATE TO LOVE YOU,” I create the beats before I ever think of lyrics. While I do have the vibe in mind, I like to focus on putting my all into the foundation of the production before I start to lay down any vocals. Once I am ready to record vocals, I turn off my lights, close my eyes, and start free-styling melodies. I always say that I know whether a song will turn into something real within the first 5 minutes of creating it. The first melodies I lay down almost always wind up in some version of the final song. I’m not actively thinking or trying to sing certain melodies, it’s like I’m downloading from the universe – just letting out anything that comes to my mind. This is my process and everything I do before my first interaction with the microphone is only to set myself up for a clear, creative headspace.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Lately, I have been drawn to artists like Ben Böhmer, Lane 8, and Klur. While I have always loved electronic/dance artists like The Chainsmokers and Fred Again, I recently became obsessed with Anjunadeep and the artists currently dominating the melodic house genre. What I love about these artists is the way they blend emotional depth, hypnotic rhythm, and masterful sound design. Their music feels cinematic and nostalgic, but also atmospheric and meditative. These artists have influenced the way I approach production and have given me so much perspective when it comes to blending Electronic, Dance, and Pop music for my own sound.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
I’d love to open up for Rüfüs Du Sol – not just because they are huge, but because I feel like their audience would actually get what I do. Their music lives in that space between dancefloor energy, emotional depth, and transcendence, which is exactly where I try to live too. It would be a dream to warm up a venue for an act like Rüfüs, both artistically and atmospherically.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
The most rewarding part of making music for me is the process. Deep down, I don’t make music for anyone but myself. I know it sounds corny and cliché, but even if I was the only human on earth, I would still make music because I truly feel like it sustains me. There is something so meaningful and healing about creating a song and expressing myself through melody. Although I often get wrapped up in the business and marketing side of music, my heart truly lies in the process of creation.
And what is the most frustrating part?
To be honest, the most frustrating part of creating music is the expectations I have for myself. I am an extremely anxious person, who strives for perfection, but I also know that perfection is impossible. I often get wound up in the struggle of calling a song complete, because I know there is always more I can do, but I have to let go at some point. What helps me is to take a step back, listen to other music, and think about my favorite artist’s creation process. I know everyone has insecurities, especially artists, and at the end of the day, it’s what makes art so meaningful.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
The best piece of advice I’ve received as a musician is that in order to gain control, I must give up control. When it comes to the creation process, my mind often feels like it’s exploding with ideas, and I tend to want to grasp on to every one of them – but this advice has taught me to just let the song lead me. I can only create something I love if I give the best of myself to the music and let all the stress go. If I forget something, it will become apparent with time, and I take comfort in knowing that the music will always come out one way or another.
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Charcom's new single 'TOO LATE TO LOVE YOU' is out now. Check it out in the player below.