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Let’s face it: 2008 has NOT been a good year for the female singer-songwriter. In an industry traditionally dominated by men, the ladies have always relied up on a handful of strong females with a pen and something so say to represent them. But aside from two brilliant releases from Jill Scott and Alicia Keys at the end of ’07, the scene on this front has been alarmingly quiet. India.Arie has been MIA (despite having an album scheduled to drop this year), Katy Perry has resorted to discussing her lesbian experimentation to get radio play, and Mariah is running around telling everyone to touch her body. Instead, we are presented with the likes of Rihanna, Jordin Sparks, and Leona Lewis, who, though lovely girls, mostly sing songs written for them by men. It is not to say that these women are not talented- Rihanna is very creative and both Jordin Sparks and Leona Lewis could sing the shit out of the phonebook. The problem, however, is the gaping void left without the honesty, sincerity, and simplicity of the female singer-songwriter. Who else can we rely upon to deliver that inspired and fresh female perspective? Alicia Keys can’t do it all by herself.
Enter Charley Paige. This girl is an incredible breath of fresh air. I must say, I don’t usually take much interest in the unsigned, up-and-comers, but the fact that Charley Paige is not already signed to a major label yet is unbelievable. I caught a show she did in NYC last week and was blown away by the shear emotion and soul just beaming through this young girl. Paige wrote “Poetry” on Danity Kane’s most recent album, Welcome To The Dollhouse, and quite frankly that group is lucky to have gotten a piece of Charley’s raw sincerity. Charley Paige is like a young Alicia Keys with a guitar- she’s vibrant, she’s musically well rounded, she’s emotional, and best of all, she’s human. The vulnerability in both her voice and lyrics is stunning, most evident through my favorite track of hers, “Letting Go,” in which she sings “But wait, am I thinking straight?/ I’m trying to separate/ Irrational passion with all my logical ways.” The song details the trials and tribulations of fighting for an unlikely love against all odds, as Charley promises, “If you stick me I have faith we will surface/ From under the chaos we’re submerged in”. Easily one of those most raw and beautifully real new artists to emerge in 2008, with just a little bit more polish and shine, Charley Paige should be doing very big things very soon. And she couldn’t have arrived at a better time, as her authentic artistry is a welcome alternative to the dance-driven, over-stylized, over-processed crop of females music fans such as myself are surely growing tired of.
Check out Charley Paige’s EP on her MySpace at www.myspace.com/CharleyPaige
- UrbanBridgez.com
Discography
Charley Paige
Debut EP
Danity Kane
"Poetry" - co-writer
Photos
Bio
In a musical climate saturated with wannabe-Rihannas, reality show amateurs, and over-stylized
artificiality, Charley Paige offers refreshing musical sincerity and beautiful optimism. The stunning 22
year-old singer-songwriter’s music is best described as clean and pure acoustic pop/rock soul, featuring
poignant lyrics and a soulful voice that reveal an unexpected maturity beyond her years. It is as if
India.Arie, Kelly Clarkson, and Corinne Bailey Rae have been combined into a gorgeous, talented super-
hybrid, though no comparison could truly do justice to Ms. Paige’s originality.
"Charley Paige is like a young Alicia Keys with a guitar- she's vibrant, she's musically well
rounded, she's emotional, and best of all, she's human. Easily one of those most raw and
beautifully real new artists to emerge in 2008" -UrbanBridgez, September 2008
Charley Paige’s sound revolves around a potent combination of vulnerability and passion. Songs like
“Forgive and Forget” beam with emotion from her soulful voice and poetic words. “I want to be as honest
and real as possible,” she says, “And I always try to draw from my subconscious where true honesty lives.”
For Charley, a big part of this genuine approach involves embracing her complexities as a multifaceted
woman. She remains dedicated to presenting herself as she is: imperfect and human. “Of course I want to
be a role model,” says Ms. Paige. “But not in the traditional way many young female artists portray
themselves as these virginal, politically correct, and ultimately, fictional characters. I want my audience to
see how complex I am. I don’t want to hide any part of my character that might contradict another. I
think, too often, we are raised with such a long list of rights and wrongs, and do’s and don’ts, that we
never learn the truth: that there is no one way of doing things, no one path to take, and no one way to
look, dress, or act.”
Charley Paige’s relationship with music has always been an essential part of her life. Born into a musically
eclectic, interracial family in St. Paul, Minnesota, Charley was always encouraged to explore, create, and
develop her own artistic style. She sang in church, began playing the piano, and picked up a guitar at a
very young age. By 11, she was writing original compositions.
As a life-long avid music fan, Charley credits the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Lauryn Hill, James Taylor and
Tracy Chapman in helping her shape her own musical style. “Music is my passion,” she says. “It has
opened my eyes to so many interpretations of life and culture. To me, it represents freedom and the
innate goodness of human kind. I believe that music is a manifestation of God and one of the most
powerful things on Earth, next to love.”
Charley Paige has recorded songs with Dead Prez and Papoose, written for Teyana Taylor, Asia
Cruise, Midi Mafia, Shae Taylor, Mysto and Pizzi, and contributed to the track “Poetry” on
Danity Kane’s most recent album, Welcome to the Dollhouse. She has also performed live in New York with Dead Prez and overseas with hip-hop violinist Miri Ben Ari and Prazwell of The Fugees. Her songwriting has been praised by Wayne Williams, Billy Mann, Jay Brown, Conrad Dimanche, Kevin Killen, DJ Junior Sanchez and a host of her songwriting peers, among them Teedra Moses, The Unknown Prophets and Brandon Beal.
Her self-titled debut, Charley Paige, is a pop album with references to rock, soul, and folk. Inspired by the
life-and-times of a young woman with a fickle heart and a restless mind.
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