Charise Sowells is a multi-stylistic singer-songwriter with a penchant for delivering relatable narratives in her signature eclectic sound that cuts across various styles ranging from pop, rock, blues, R&B, soul, and others. As one who does not believe in self-limitation when it comes to her creativity, she is versatile, coming through with a sound that defies categorization. Her primary goal is to inspire others through her music and optimistic attitude, as she provides her audience with an emotional listening experience that will uplift, inspire, and heal them.
As a New York University Tisch School of the Arts and Orange County School of the Arts alumna, her technical dexterity is something she has earned, and that comes out effortlessly throughout her performances.
Charise’s new 12-track album is titled “Obsolescent Adolescence,” with lyrics exploring the life of a teenager: love, lust, heartbreak, hope, and dreams. A masterpiece that is open-ended for the listener’s own interpretation, Charise wants the listener to interpret the tracks for themselves and find relatability in their own ways. She encourages listeners to find their own stories within the lyrics.
This project, focusing on Charise’s raw vocals and live instrumentation, aims to satisfy your musical cravings, “Obsolescent Adolescence” marks a significant milestone in Sowells’ career. Most of the tracks here focus on live instrumentation and stripped-down, raw vocals, as Charise aims to get back to the music that inspired her passion for writing and singing. There are, of course, more vibrant ones…this, you might say, is the whole package.
“Morning Breath” is the opening track that showcases Charise Sowells’ indie rock influences. This track feels soulful, but the live relentless instruments let her voice and lyrics stand front and center and have their moment. Her raw and impassioned vocals give vibrant life to the music’s anthemic lyrics. Her gift for vivid storytelling is as apparent onstage as it is on the page, and her beautiful, soulful, and haunting voice is an uncontainable force.
Pulsing with textural sound while balancing the tension of edgy rock and vivid storytelling, Charise’s unvarnished authenticity, musicianship, and lyricism will leave a lasting impression on anyone listening in.
“Heartbreak Town” starts with such a soulfully raw vocal delivery backed by blues-fueled melodies. Through Charise Sowells’ unrestrained vocal delivery, you can feel that tinge of melancholy. Her emotion-drenched voice holds so much effortless power and really injects this track with that deep, sad emotion to get a listener sucked into the performance.
“Bedroom Eyes” is a bit vibrant and genre-bending, with a host of styles all blended together and flanked by Sowells’ R&B-infused vocals as she wears her heart on her sleeves to authenticate such a masterclass. Her voice is golden and angelic, and she really shines over the nostalgic production that takes the listener back to the golden era of artists like Aaliyah and Mariah Carey.
“I Never Loved You” features a mellow guitar intro that sets the tone for the track’s sentimental feel. Ultimately, this tune is a huge testament to the power of music to capture the essence of hurtful human experiences and the emotions that come with them.
“Magical Month” feels magical, mystical, haunting, and thoughtful as Charise Sowells delivers with such profundity and heartfelt conviction to earn the track immediate authenticity. Her big, bold, and soulful voice breathes life into the lyrical narrative of this masterpiece as she connects with a listener on a deep emotional level.
“Obsolescent Adolescence” features plenty of songs that stand out as singles and would probably be more than worthy of your time and playlist. However, listening to this album in its entirety is the way to go so as to get drawn into this visceral and cathartic listening experience from one of today’s phenomenally gifted songwriters and truly rare vocalists.
Connect With Charise Sowells on:
