Clairo Releases New Album Charm
Clairo released her third studio album, Charm, on July 12. Featuring eleven songs, including the singles “Nomad” and “Sexy to Someone,” the release explores where pop and folk music converge, with poignant results.
Claire Cottrill, professionally “Clairo,” has hosted a radio show via NTS since 2020. On June 24’s episode, she described the many meanings “charm” holds for her conceptually. One element of our world she finds charming is the endless magic we’re surrounded by. Perhaps, by extension, that includes how magical it feels to connect with someone new.
In a recent interview with Crack, the “Bags” singer explained that the album’s title refers to “a feeling you have. When you’re charmed, it’s that perfect blend of being goofy-eyed over a person – platonically, romantically – and not knowing how long it will last.”
The album’s third track, “Second Nature,” perfectly expresses that precious feeling. The soft, sincere vocals fans have appreciated since the release of “Pretty Girl” in 2017, the same sound that made the singer a genre-defining bedroom pop star, are now more folk than ever before. The warm piano accompanying her delicate voice calls Carole King to mind. But the song ends with a playfully jazzy outro. The brassy moment reminds us how comfortable and confident Clairo is with sonic experimentation.
Album to album, the artist has explored various genres, including soft rock, indie, and alternative. She now plays with folk and pop elements, seeming to glory in their subtlety. Assisting this process on the latest album was producer and instrumentalist Leon Michels, known for his great work with the likes of Norah Jones and the Black Keys.
A common thread through all this variety is the talented performer’s sincerity. Whether delivering the emotionally heavy lyrics from Sling, or musing on the beautiful magnetism between two people, such as on Charm‘s “Juna,” it’s clear she is singing from the heart.
Cottrill’s earnest voice, even when her lyrics lament the inherent pain of being vulnerable, brings her listeners in close. We recommend listening to the whole album over an intimate dinner with friends.
That is, unless you were able to score tickets to one of the artist’s Charm residencies in New York or Los Angeles. Clairo revealed these fall performance dates in the spring, and we can’t wait to hear the new album live.
Clairo brings Charm: The Residency to LA (Sept. 6-11) & NYC (Sept. 14-19) sign up now for presale starting June 4 https://t.co/XrWooHjvaR pic.twitter.com/HPGcu4iis3
— claire cottrill (@clairo) May 29, 2024
Charm is available now on all streaming platforms.
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