If you haven’t yet been introduced to Lady Charles (they/them), the multifaceted artist and boundary pushing art-rock sensation who is 100% going to remind you of a modern day David Bowie, you’re going to love this. In the midst of the tumultuous year 2020, Lady Charles embarked on a creative journey to craft a captivating world of their own making – a world where society was tolerant and people and artists thrived amidst vibrant splashes of purple and pink and shag carpets.
This world, known as "Manic Pixie Dream World," became the backdrop for their immersive album and lifestyle experience; and make no mistake it is a full on experience. With 11 tracks, the album not only serves as an escape from reality but a portal into Lady Charles's mind. During this interview, we'll dive into Lady Charles's artistic world, exploring their musical influences, creative process, and the latest release, "Child of the Night." Read more below.
The second I read about "Manic Pixie Dream World" I was in love. You describe it as both an immersive album and music lifestyle experience. Tell me more!
Thank you! I always loved records that felt like entire little worlds - stuff like Diamond Dogs, Crime of the Century, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Man on the Moon - when I was young and times were tough I’d throw on a record like that and escape in the layers of sound. During the pandemic, with all the disruption and fear, I thought it was time I create something like that of my own.
I followed every inkling I had no matter how strange or silly - hard rock, orchestral pieces, electro-pop, prog rock with wild time signatures, synth soundscapes - and I think what came out is something intensely personal yet fun and catchy. It’s the record I would give my younger self.
Your musical style spans a wide range of genres, culminating in an electric, unforgettable sound (seriously, obsessed!) There are elements of indie-rock, glam rock, electronica, and even punk. How have you been able to bring it all together to create the music you have and, who are some of your inspirations in those genres?
One big influence that you mentioned in the intro is David Bowie - I heard Changes on the radio when I was young and that put me on the path to music. The cool thing growing up a bit obsessive and hearing his music so early is that his own music spanned so many genres and turned me on to so much more.
I was listening to Bruce Springsteen, Brian Eno, Wyclef Jean, Franz Ferdinand, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billy Talent, Kate Bush, Feist - eventually I got into Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Kendrick Lamar, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Lil Nas X - so I have always had fairly broad interests. Genre to me is a bit like gender - it’s a useful classifier but it’s made up and can only describe what already exists - I always tried to make music without worrying about fitting it into any particular sound or style, just whatever the song demands.
Another thing I really admire is your expansive vision and how committed you are to it. What kind of impact do you hope to have on people through your art?
I just want to be as authentic to how I feel as I can be. I spent many years trying to be someone I thought others wanted to see, and I don’t want other people making that same mistake. With all the economic problems we’re seeing a lot of people are trying to push for a very traditional, very oppressive return to the strict roles society once enforced on everyone, and I think that’s a very dangerous thing. Being different shouldn’t be threatening, the complexity of life should be celebrated, not hidden away out of some desire for simplicity.
I hope that I can stand as an example of one of the many, many ways that people can be. That people different from me can be inspired to be whoever they want to be, whatever that is. A lot of my fans are not gender non-conforming or LGBT in any way but still connect with my willingness to break with tradition and experiment with my image and style. Life is short, we shouldn’t worry about what others think.
As a multi-talented artist, you've explored various creative outlets and really brought them all together to create the person and musician you are now. How have these pursuits helped to do that, and what lessons have you learned along the way?
All art is connected, and so the time I’ve spent writing, acting, doing photography, making short films and composing soundtracks all have made my vision a little clearer. There’s the more overt ways they influence each other - like how I can use my photography in crafting my image or my acting in my performances. But there’s subtle ways too, like how studying Brechtian cinema has given me an understanding of how to connect intellectually with an audience with humor rather than preachiness or how writing comedies and dramas has helped sharpen my lyricism.
Overall, I love the act of creation and I love art that brings together different modes of production, and I think I bring a lot of that into Lady Charles. My goal is for my shows to blur the lines between music, theatre, visual art, drag, comedy, and dance. When all those elements come together just right, it’s magic.
Looking ahead, you're working on an EP for the play "Oh Boy!" and planning a unique covers project. Can you give us a sense of what to expect from these upcoming releases?
Oh Boy is a really strange disco-fied version of Hamlet basically, that I composed a bunch of very retro styled tracks for. I’m expanding the versions used in the play, adding more instrumentation, taking my time to bring them to the next level. It’s a short, vibrant, catchy and danceable record and it really blends my love of the 70’s with my love of the 2000’s sort of revival artists like Franz Ferdinand and the Killers. Erin Tonkon is mixing and Joao Carvalho mastering - both incredibly talented people who I am honoured to get to work with.
The cover album is a collection of covers I have been working on for a few years - stuff like Late of the Pier’s Heartbeat and of Montreal’s Forecast Fascist Future. But the twist is that some of the covers are of songs I wrote for my old band, and the whole thing is going to hopefully almost play out like the soundtrack to my life.
What can we do to make Manic Pixie Dream World a reality? That is, to be a more tolerant, accepting, creative, vibrant community?
There’s so much misinformation and division these days. Oftentimes I’ll see a really hurtful thing posted on social media only to discover it was a bot - there’s literal armies of them being sent to sow discord. Given the reality, I think we need to be understanding of each other and of the very different bubbles where people derive their understandings of the world around them. We must fight hard to set the record straight and promote tolerance, but we mustn’t forget our humanity in how we address each other in the process.
I’m happy to explain my point of view to anyone I feel is acting in good faith - I think it’s very convenient for the 1% that differences of opinion are often blown up into hostilities. We need to stop with that, and recognize that fixing the problems haunting our societies will necessarily involve working together with people who don’t necessarily think the same or act the same. And it should go without saying that anyone who tries to tell you that a certain group of people are the problem does NOT have the answer.
Thanks for your time! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Not really - thanks for your time, and I hope everyone enjoys Child of the Night!