Similar Artists: boygenius, girl in red, beabadoobee, Wallows, Faye Webster
Recommended Tracks: “Sexy to Someone”, “Thank You”, “Add Up My Love”, “Glory of the Snow”
Indie-pop superstar Clairo is back with her highly-anticipated third album, Charm. Her soft, wispy sound shines throughout the album, backed by simple piano, calm acoustic guitar, and sparkling flute. Charm explores the emotions that come with wanting, finding, keeping, and losing love while simultaneously trying to find your identity.
Opening with the ballad, “Nomad”, we are first introduced to the idea of longing for love. Through deep bass, powerful piano, and layered harmonies, Clairo begs for a relationship, no matter the circumstances. These heavy feelings are reflected in “Sexy to Someone” where Clairo yearns to be seen as attractive in a world where beauty is found everywhere. These dark feelings don’t stay long as she begins to find love in her own life.
Clairo finds love simple when it surrounds her. In songs such as “Second Nature” and “Juna”, showing affection and a willingness to be vulnerable seem so natural to her. In songs such as “Add Up My Love”, Clairo reflects on the love shared in her relationships over playful piano and steady percussion. The ways Clairo receives love from these relationships change who she is.
While these relationships seem great at the moment, not all of them last. However, instead of Clairo turning back to darkness during these times, she chooses to find the bright side. In songs such as “Thank You” and “Pier 4”, Clairo thanks her past lovers for showing her what it means to be loved and respected. These feelings are reflected through peaceful guitar and piano and gentle vocals. This juxtaposes the harsher feelings found at the beginning of Charm, showing the growth Clairo has experienced from start to finish.
Charm is a journey of self-discovery. Clairo begins the album at her lowest point – begging for human touch to feel confident in herself. At the end of the album, Clairo does not need another person to love herself. She knows what love is because she has experienced it firsthand from her past relationships. She doesn’t need to seek it out in another person when she has found it in herself. Charm inspires listeners to find love within themselves and share that love with others.
You can listen to Charm below.
Keep up with Clairo: Website // Instagram // X // YouTube // Facebook
