Change can be intimidating, but Charlotte Sands embraces the idea of new beginnings with an open heart and mind. That’s most evident on her debut album, can we start over?, which is out today, as she reflects and revels in the process of being able to reintroduce herself. Musically, the record mirrors the many different versions she’s been over the years, from growing up screaming along to Michelle Branch (whose influence can be felt on “get over it” and “dead body”) to discovering — and finding inspiration in — heavier bands like Deftones, DON BROCO, and Sleep Token.
Read more: 10 great emo albums from 2023 you may have missed
In celebration of her new album, Sands told us about a handful of artists who shaped its creation.
Sleep Token – “Take Me Back To Eden”
I’ve always loved when a song builds and transforms throughout its structure and ends in a completely different place than where it started. After hearing this song, I was obsessed with the idea of making something almost cinematic and dramatic that feels like an entire journey and experience, which had a huge influence when it came to writing the title track of my album.
Evanescence – “My Last Breath”
Amy Lee is an undeniable icon and powerhouse. She’s the perfect example to me of the power of restraint and controlling your voice for specific moments throughout a song. She’s able to build tension and create a mood simply based on her tone, and I’ve learned so much just by listening to her sing. I tried to create similar moments when making this album, and instead of just belting every note, I wanted to be intentional about each vocal performance and make sure it matched the mood or emotion we were trying to capture in that song.
Radiohead – “Exit Music (For A Film)”
I love this song and how isolated the guitar and vocals are but also how it gradually builds throughout. They have harmonies for added effect but always keep the focus on the lead vocals, making sure it’s front and center, which I always gravitate toward.
Michelle Branch – “Breathe”
Michelle Branch is forever one of my favorite artists and songwriters of all time. I grew up screaming her songs in the back of the car and learning to play them on guitar before I had any idea what I was doing. Her music has always felt like the perfect math problem to me. The lyrics are heavy, but the production matches the weight of the song’s depth, making even the darkest songs feel easy to listen to. Her songwriting is brilliant, and the way she’s able to turn a personal story into universal ear candy is something I will always be impressed by and strive for. It was so important to me to have acoustic guitars, live drums, and organic vocals on this album, especially in songs like “get over it,” “blindspot,” and “dead body.” These were most definitely influenced by her, and my music will forever have a small string connecting me back to those roots.
Puddle of Mudd – “Blurry”
I love this song so much and have always loved the chords they chose. The guitar is playing a separate melody that supports the vocal but also has its entirely own life in the song, which makes my brain feel like there is always something going on even in the simplest moments. There’s always something interesting or entertaining even when it feels bare, and I think those types of choices when it came to alternative harmonies, chords, or drum patterns were very influential when making this album.
Paramore – “All I Wanted”
This song to me is sonic gold. Everything that your brain wants to happen happens but slowly over the course of the entire song. It feels like this perfect buildup of tension and then the perfect release of it afterward, which is so difficult to create, especially to make it feel so seamless. Paramore has influenced my music so much over the course of my life, and so much of anything I ever make will more than likely have some connection to their music and Hayley’s iconic voice.
DON BROCO – “One True Prince”
I am forever obsessed with DON BROCO and became even more obsessed with them after seeing them open for Sleeping With Sirens on tour. “Everybody” is the song I listen to right before I walk out onstage at every single show, so they have a special place in my heart. The first time I ever heard “One True Prince,” my mind immediately went to how brilliant the song would sound live and how incredible that experience probably is, and I wanted to make something that reflected that same feeling — the live drums, the huge production, the layers of harmonies, and stacks of alternating melodies as well as moods. I wanted to make something that could make people feel the way I do when I listen to them, which was a huge influence on my song “use me” as well as the rest of the album.
Kelly Clarkson – “Behind These Hazel Eyes”
Kelly Clarkson was one of the first artists I ever gravitated toward and has been a consistent influence on me over my entire career. Her vocals are out of this world, and I’ve always loved how the verses in her songs feel darker and then open up into these huge pop choruses supported by rock guitars and drums. They’re able to be insanely catchy while also feeling deep and emotional, which is always a challenge. This song and every other song of hers has inspired me in so many ways and motivated me to find ways to push my voice and be intentional with it.
Deftones – “Change (In the House of Flies)”
I somehow wasn’t aware of Deftones until about a year ago, which is so shocking to me because now they play such a big part in my creative process. We used multiple of their songs as inspiration while writing the album, which gave us permission to think outside of the normal boxes and restrictions that are so often in pop and rock music these days. Listening to them helped me realize that breaking the rules and structure in a song is so important, and there are ways to go off the rails while maintaining the attention of the audience. This had a huge impact on me while writing and made me excited to try different chords or melodies and how to create purposeful dissonance throughout a song.
Katy Perry – “Mannequin”
Katy Perry is one of my favorite artists and songwriters of all time. Her voice is so incredibly unique, and I remember growing up and trying to mimic, singing her songs, and trying my best to sound anything like her. Her album One of the Boys influenced my life and artistry tremendously and continues to inspire me to this day. This song in particular is a forever favorite of mine because of how simple it is but also how much focus is on her voice and on the melody. It will always be a reminder to me of the importance of the story and song before any added production. Also, it would be a crime not to mention another song from that album, “I Kissed A Girl,” because of how perfectly written while also incredibly culturally significant it was. She is simply brilliant, and I am a forever fan.
