Edmonton's Nuela Charles is doing the work — and she wants to help you do it, too. The singer-songwriter's new self-titled album, driven by polished hooks and the importance of validation, is out now via AWAL.
Nuela Charles follows 2019's Melt, 2018 EP Distant Danger, The Grand Hustle (2016) and Aware (2012). The artistic decision to self-title, especially several collections into a discography, is usually not just tossed out as an easy solution for what to call the record; it tends to signify some greater coming into the self.
"Everyone was in this weird flux because the world shut down," Charles explained of the album, which was written and recorded throughout 2021, "and I feel like, as an artist, I wanted to create something people could go to when they needed a little boost."
Taking inspiration from the grandeur of James Bond themes and the spaciousness of zeitgeist-y UK pop, she worked with Los Angeles producer-mixer Matt Parad to craft a body of work that incorporates elements of soul, pop, rock and R&B into buoyant melodies designed to uplift, speaking directly to the listener with their affirmations.
"Everyone wants to be loved and feel validated," the artist continued. "If I've learned anything over time, particularly during the last two years, it's that to receive that fully, you have to love yourself first — you have to look inwards before seeking outside validation." Aligned with this realization, the album is crafted for listeners to sing along with Charles, who passes self-tenderness on to others through the articulation of her aspirational words.
Having tapped into the truest, highest iteration of self-knowing in this growing season, she's speaking for herself — and the collective — like never before.
Listen to Nuela Charles on your platform of choice below.
Nuela Charles follows 2019's Melt, 2018 EP Distant Danger, The Grand Hustle (2016) and Aware (2012). The artistic decision to self-title, especially several collections into a discography, is usually not just tossed out as an easy solution for what to call the record; it tends to signify some greater coming into the self.
"Everyone was in this weird flux because the world shut down," Charles explained of the album, which was written and recorded throughout 2021, "and I feel like, as an artist, I wanted to create something people could go to when they needed a little boost."
Taking inspiration from the grandeur of James Bond themes and the spaciousness of zeitgeist-y UK pop, she worked with Los Angeles producer-mixer Matt Parad to craft a body of work that incorporates elements of soul, pop, rock and R&B into buoyant melodies designed to uplift, speaking directly to the listener with their affirmations.
"Everyone wants to be loved and feel validated," the artist continued. "If I've learned anything over time, particularly during the last two years, it's that to receive that fully, you have to love yourself first — you have to look inwards before seeking outside validation." Aligned with this realization, the album is crafted for listeners to sing along with Charles, who passes self-tenderness on to others through the articulation of her aspirational words.
Having tapped into the truest, highest iteration of self-knowing in this growing season, she's speaking for herself — and the collective — like never before.
Listen to Nuela Charles on your platform of choice below.