Words / Interview by Emily Hollitt
We’ve all been there; the sleepless nights and sweaty palms while working up the courage to chat to our high school crush. It’s almost a rite of passage to agonise over every little thing you say and every little mistake you make. Just reading this, I’m sure flashback after flashback of this exact scenario has just crossed your mind. Brisbane high-schooler Charlie, The Bloke, has taken this feeling and put it into a catchy, comical tune. And he’s released it alongside an equally entertaining music video!
F-Ing Man, Charlie’s latest track, expertly combines self-awareness and engaging storytelling to create the perfect relatable song. The earworm chorus meets his messy, anxiety-ridden lyrics and melody to snapshot this feeling perfectly. The track’s production is reminiscent of early 2000s indie rock and more acoustic-based pop, which aides to the overall nostalgic feel of the song. And the best part? Charlie is only fifteen! Having written, produced and recorded the song all on his own, he’s merely scratching the surface of a very promising music career.
Personally, I’ve had this track on loop (and I’m sure you will too!). So, I just HAD to chat to Charlie and pick his brain to find out what makes him tick before his career really blows up!
What was the inspiration behind your latest song, F-ing Man?
Well, as I think is the case for all boys my age, I was trying to talk to a girl from my school and failing miserably so I felt inspired to write a song about that experience and how it made me feel. I feel like every time I fail at something I try to improve myself, so I don’t fail the next time. The chorus of this song is me kind of saying what my goal is for all this improvement.
I really love the production on the song – especially the group vocals and the use of voice memos! What was your process for arranging the track? And where the any songs you used for inspiration?
Thanks! It was a long process, but it was fun. During the intro section, I got some of my friends to do some voice memos for me to add to the story of the song which was really fun and interesting! The rest of the song was pretty much me sitting in my room recording vocals. During the bridge I had a bunch of my friends singing with me, which I did during one of my breaks.
Where did your name ‘Charlie, The Bloke’ come from?
One of my friends recommended and I really liked it! I’m probably going to change to my real name soon but I’m still working it out.
What’s the idea behind the music video? How did this concept come about?
Well, one of my friends came up with the whole storyline, so you’ll have to ask him! But, to me, it’s just me and my friends having some fun. The story of the song is more or less me trying to have some fun, so that’s exactly what we did with the video!
What advice would you give for any other young person wanting to get into music?
Just believe in yourself! In so many fields in life, if you just believe in yourself more than anyone else in the world, you’ll do pretty well.
If you could form a band with any musicians, dead or alive, what would be your dream line-up?
Oh look, I have a band already and I really love them, but we do need a drummer so Spencer Smith from Panic! At The Disco.
What’s the highlight of your musical career so far?
Probably just the ordinary stuff so far, putting out music and people saying that they like it. I’m not really at the point where I can play big places but, once I get there, that will probably be it!
What’s an album that you would consider to be a perfect 10?
‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ by Billie Eilish, ‘Shawn’ by Shawn Mendes, ‘Harry’s House’ by Harry Styles, and finally ‘Pretty Odd’ by Panic At The Disco. There’s a lot more; I just love so many!
Who are some of your favourite local bands?
There’s this band from my school that I really like. I’m friends with everyone in it so maybe that’s cheating! If it’s someone that you could search up, I really like Geowulf; they’re local ‘ish’.
Where do you see yourself and your music in 5 years?
I believe in myself a lot. But, then again, I’ll only be 20! So, I’m hoping I’ll be pretty far in my career, but not as far as I’ll go!
And finally, what can we expect next from Charlie, The Bloke?
Nothing and everything at the same time. I’m not really sure, but if you follow me on YouTube, I might be able to keep you posted!
Connect with CHARLIE, THE BLOKE
SOUNDCLOUD | YOUTUBE
