An artist releasing their final album can be a sad moment for fans, but for BoyWithUke, it’s a triumphant step into a thrilling new chapter. Charley Yang broke out as the masked BoyWithUke on TikTok during the pandemic and has since taken the mask off, literally and figuratively, to be more true to his authentic self. His latest project, Burnout, will be his last record as BoyWithUke before he takes his next steps under his real name, and it’s as fascinating as you’d hope the persona’s sendoff would be!
Over the course of 14 songs, Burnout sees Charley exploring his identity, experiences, and emotions with defiant courage, directly facing them instead of standing behind any sort of mask. He’s ready to confront the darker aspects of himself and his past, and you’ll be rooting for him just as passionately as the chanting crowd sampled in the intro of ‘Can You Feel It?’ is in the first seconds of the album. It’s refreshing and confessional, full of thought-provoking lyrics and energizing guitar riffs you’ll have stuck in your head for days.
We at THP feel lucky that we can say Charley is no longer a ‘Stranger’ to us – not only because we get to learn so much about him through the Burnout album, but also because we got to ask him all about it in an exclusive interview! Press play on the record on your favorite streaming service then keep reading to check out our Q&A.
Hi Charley, congrats on your new album, Burnout! How does it feel to let the project out into the world?
It feels good! Honestly, my first thought was “DAMN, it’s about time.” A lot of these songs were started, like, a year ago and I’ve gotten a little tired of listening to some of the tracks.
There are so many amazing lyrics on this album, with one of our favorites being “I loved and I lost, but a life without love is much worse than the cost of what could’ve been” from ‘Burn.’ Is there a certain lyric or verse that you’re especially proud of?
I think one of my favorites is “Getting out of bed is easy without you.” Felt like I was able to fit the most emotion and denial into 8 words.
Which song or songs on Burnout mean the most to you and why?
Meaning-wise, I think ‘Easier’ takes the cake. It kind of perfectly sums up the separation between a former partner, which was a huge event in my life, and incidentally helped me write a lot of the songs on this project.
Burnout is notably your last album as BoyWithUke, which must be pretty bittersweet. How did you know that it was time to (literally) take off the mask and move forward to the next phase of your career? Was that a hard decision to make?
I knew it was time to take off the mask a long time ago. It was definitely a difficult decision to make back then, but it was definitely necessary. I absolutely hated putting on a silly persona 24/7. It was genuinely fun for a while, but after you do it for 3-4 years, it gets old really fast.
What was it like for you to move away from the ukulele and lean into more of a dark, alt-pop and rock sound for this project?
Oh my God, in the moment, making these songs felt so fresh. It was like trying Hawaiian pizza for the first time after only eating cheese pizza. Like it’s different, and some people hate it, but there’s no denying that it works and tastes great.
You released ‘Can You Feel It?,’ ‘Ghost,’ and ‘Gaslight’ as singles before the album and we’ve had them on repeat since they dropped! How did you choose which songs to release early, and how do they set the tone for the rest of the record?
We chose ‘Can You Feel It?’ as the first single before the album because we felt like it was most similar to the old style of music to help ease fans into the new. ‘Ghost’ and ‘Gaslight’ followed similar lines of thought.
What do you hope listeners take away from Burnout?
I hope they feel good listening to the music. And I hope I can inspire a lot of people to accept change and move on in their lives in an optimistic way
Aside from Burnout, each of your albums as BoyWithUke has had “Dreams” in the title. Looking back, what are some of your biggest career dreams you got to make come true as BoyWithUke?
Honestly, I don’t know. I’m the luckiest guy in the world. I never thought I’d even get this far, but I think the most important moment of my career was doing my face reveal. To be accepted for who I was was honestly life-changing.
Has your creative process changed now that you’ve taken off the mask and are moving away from BoyWithUke? What’s been the biggest difference in how you approach your art?
I’m much more passionate about the songs I create. Much more meticulous. I’m still working on letting go of monetary/statistical success, but I’m definitely less concerned about numbers.
What has it been like adjusting to your career and personal life without the mask?
Not much has changed. I’ve always kept my circle small, and it’s still pretty small. Every once in a while, one of my friends will get doxxed, but now that my face and identity is no longer a commodity, my life is pretty quiet.
You started going viral on TikTok in 2020 in the middle of the Covid pandemic, and so much has changed in the music industry and everyday life since then. What has it been like for you to shift into a more “traditional” music career with more in-person opportunities and ways to connect with fans after so much online success?
It’s weird. I was never aware that the music industry had changed so much. Like, 2020 TikTok was my first intro into the music industry, so I have no real frame of reference, but looking back, I almost think I took my success for granted. Shifting into what my career is today, I think the little wins and successes feel so much bigger. There’s definitely less immediate reward for your efforts, but the rewards you do get feel so much more deserved.
Back in August, you reflected on your experiences as BoyWithUke on Instagram and said your fans have saved you and helped you become a better person. We’re so grateful you’ve received so much love for your music! Is there a certain experience or conversation with a fan that has really stuck with you over the years?
I actually have a folder full of screenshots of really nice and meaningful comments. It’s hard to pick one experience though. If I had to choose, it would be greeting fans after shows on tour. Everybody was always so nice and endearing and it felt so good to be loved.
How do you feel you’ve grown as an artist and person since your last album, 2023’s Lucid Dreams?
I am a year older now, but it’s hard to say. I’m a little wiser, a little stronger, but I feel like I’m still in the process of change. I’ve realized how much I don’t know about the world and music and I’m much more open-minded.
What can your fans look forward to in the rest of 2024?
Announcements for tour!!! The tour itself is coming in 2025, but I’m so excited to announce that I’ll be performing these songs live.
As of this interview’s publish, Charley announced his tour! You can get all the details right here.
Thank you so much to Charley for answering all our questions and giving us a stunning album! We can’t wait to keep jamming out to Burnout and keep up with all the amazing tour content next year.
Now, honeybees, we have some questions for you! Which tracks on Burnout do you love most? Are you gonna grab tickets to the final BoyWithUke tour? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
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