Charlotte Hall – I Feel Alive (2021)
Intimate, intense and engaging – these are three words that best describe music created by Charlotte Hall. Drawing together various genres, UK-based singer-songwriter Hall is breaking boundaries with a Paramore meets Blondie meets Fleetwood Mac style. While Hall began turning heads in 2018 appearing on BBC Introducing York and North Yorkshire, it was last year that she turned heads at The Other Side Reviews with her single ‘The Wolves’ (read our review here). Since then, this soulful songstress has received critical acclaim from Sinusoidal Music, Less Than 1000 Followers, Euro Indie Music, Reyt Good Magazine and various other press. The latest addition to her discography is ‘I Feel Alive’.
Following her folk-influenced single ‘Braid’ (read our review here), ‘I Feel Alive’ showcases Hall’s versatility bringing in elements of rock and pop. While I have become used to an acoustic-inspired sound from Hall, the new track combines electric guitar with pounding drums. Superbly arranged, ‘I Feel Alive’ carries you along a sonic river moving from heartfelt verses to catchy choruses with a crescendo to powerful guitar riffs. As I mentioned, there is a more unique sound with the electric guitar solo; however, the obscurity of the track is most notable in the funk-based outro sending you reeling with a toe-tapping vibe.
Known for a “personal touch”, Hall uses an intimate narrative in ‘I Feel Alive’ to connect with listeners. In true storyteller style, she continues her tale from feeling isolated in a small town to being open to new experiences in her singles. Hall shares that “this song feels like the next chapter from a previous single ‘Apathy’. Whilst writing ‘Apathy’, I felt like an alien in a small town where people settle quickly and during my school days a lot of young people had a deep-rooted fear of dreaming big. ‘I Feel Alive’ is a lot more optimistic as I was actively looking to give life a second chance.”
What I find intriguing is how this “…personal song about wanting to break free” aligns so well with this time of uncertainty where many people are putting their lives on hold. Instead of accepting the mundane situation and settling, Hall empowers people to pursue their dreams and “feel alive”. A collaborative effort between Hall and producer Dave from The Online Recording Studios, Hall proves that you can overcome obstacles and follow your dreams wherever you are.
For more from Charlotte Hall check out her Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
