The best part of being an opening act is the new fans that come with it, and Charlotte Sands has opened for some pretty big names this year (and some of our favorites here at the Honey POP!) As fans of Charlotte who witnessed her release of the Harry Styles-inspired hit ‘Dress’ in 2020 (catch us dropping these names, how could you possibly not listen to Charlotte now?), we’re happy to recap the incredible year she’s had. To any new fans: you’re just in time to appreciate her genius work before her debut album can we start over? hits the shelves on January 24!
PVRIS International Tour
Charlotte started the year on her first international tour, supporting PVRIS. Attendees had better understand how lucky they were, as Charlotte released her first songs of the year during this tour. Even through Instagram clips, it’s impossible to miss the connection between her and her crowds, so we feel confident that these songs got the welcome they deserved. And we know she was a hit in Europe because she set off on her headline tour in the spring!
Alright EP
If ‘Alright’ is your favorite song by Charlotte Sands, we have good news for you! The EP of the same name features no less than six versions. This release followed the drop of two singles, ‘Alright’ and ‘Six Feet Under.’ These songs mean a lot to Charlotte, and we had the chance to chat with her about them earlier this year. She talked about her partnership with the JED Foundation, where she donated profits made from ‘Alright’ to help mental health and suicide prevention.
Good Now EP
It’s difficult for us to pick a favorite part of Good Now. But maybe the most iconic is the much-anticipated addition of ‘Tantrum.’ Longtime fans of Charlotte Sands know the history behind ‘Tantrum.’ We can’t seem to stop talking about it, so we’ll help you out if you don’t know. Allow us to take you back to 2021 for a minute. Charlotte opened her set at the Sad Summer Festival with ‘Tantrum,’ which was unreleased. Fans (yes, we were a part of this…) begged for an official version of this female-rage anthem for two years and three tours. But through the Sad Summer Fest, Yungblud‘s Life on Mars Tour, and The Maine‘s XOXO Tour, the only way to enjoy this song was witnessing it live (or watching grainy YouTube videos). You can imagine our excitement when she released the song in 2022 and added it to Good Now this year.
As for the rest of Good Now, we should be drama-free. After all, “everything is good now, right?” Maybe not. Good Now is an exploration of being young and dumb, and we all know that means making a few mistakes. With ‘Lost’ and ‘Lovesick,’ Charlotte expertly describes the pain of growing up, but ultimately ends on a positive note.
Screaming in the Dark Tour
In September, Charlotte joined The Band Camino on the first half of their US tour. If you’ve had the pleasure of seeing Charlotte live, you know how much energy she has on stage. We think it would be safe to assume that if you went to this tour without knowing who Charlotte was, you left a fan. It takes power to take a five-song slot and demand attention in the way Charlotte does. Not only does she have that power, she may be the master of it.
The 5 Seconds of Summer Show
This fall was busy for Charlotte as she jumped straight from The Band Camino’s tour to 5SOS‘s European leg. She took to Instagram to fangirl over the band, saying it was a dream to open for them. Well, Charlotte wasn’t the only one who was excited; Charlotte Sands with 5SOS is pretty much our dream lineup. Because she always has so much energy, it’s hard to tell, but her admiration may have made her even more fun to watch.
can we start over?
The moment we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived: Charlotte’s debut album. At least, it’s almost arrived. On January 24, the album will be on repeat. Until then, we have four songs to tide us over. Charlotte has experimented with genres before but has mostly thrived with a mix of punk and pop. The first releases from can we start over? may be her most explicit shift to rock. It doesn’t look like she plans on settling, though; she’s still playing with genres. Even with the songs we have so far, she seems to be moving between rock and alternative.
With ‘use me’ and ‘pity,’ Charlotte refuses to shy away from her anger. We’ll be raging with her as long as she allows us to. Because that’s the beauty of art, isn’t it? ‘get over it’ and ‘blindspot’ have both been so different, we can’t wait to see the variety she comes up with in the final album. Whatever direction Charlotte ends up going, we’re obsessed and can’t wait to see what she has ready for us.
To emphasize what a successful year Charlotte has had, we couldn’t even mention every performance she’s killed, the music video she’s recorded, and the award she’s won this year. Have a favorite memory of her from 2023? A favorite video of her swinging her signature blue hair around on stage? Share it with us in the comments or by tweeting us at @thehoneypop!
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