Charles Ham is a burgeoning recording artist, songwriter, and producer hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina. He recently unveiled his highly anticipated debut EP, “Long Time, No See,” which delves into themes of letting go and personal growth.
A masterful wordsmith, Charles draws inspiration from the likes of Drake, PartyNextDoor, and The Weeknd, all of whom are renowned for their lyrical brilliance. Charles aspires to emulate their unique sounds and styles in his own music, which is evident in tracks such as Cullinan and Slide, where one can witness Charles’s substantial lyrical acumen and his ability to craft compelling narratives through the use of clever wordplay.
We eagerly anticipate Charles’s continued growth as an artist and look forward to the release of his future work, which promises to be nothing short of extraordinary.
We sat down with Charles back in September and discussed his Journey, EP, and Future Projects:
Q: Where are you from?
A: I was born Pittsburgh, PA, and raised in Charlotte, NC. However, I love to move around so you can catch me almost anywhere in the states these days.
Q: Jumping into the EP, what was the inspiration behind it?
A: The inspiration behind this project was to let go ultimately. “Long Time No See,” for me, represented growth. It’s such a cliché phrase, but I felt it embodied what I go through as people never see the work put in. They see you making moves, putting time in, and parts of the process or progress and wonder, but at the end of the day, nobody knows your vision til they see it for themselves. So hint: “No See” was entailed to catch everyone up to speed on my journey for everyone who did and didn’t see it coming.
Q: How would you describe the EP’s music and sound, as well as your overall sound?
A: This EP promotes more of a dark, moody, nighttime, love and love-lost sound that fills up the car with ambience and leaves you space to create moments for yourself. I’d describe my music as versatile, to say the least. I love to mix low and high-range vocals and genres that may not necessarily “go together.” Wordplay has always been significant for me. I used to stress myself out over expanding my vocabulary, but Toronto (Drake, PND, The Weekend) has always inspired my sound, as well as artists like Frank Ocean, Pharrell, Eli Sostre, Sade, Erykah, Mac Miller, and Mac Demarco. All for different reasons, but I love how they each completely takeover a song when they get on it and introduce abstract lyrics. But to add substance is always the goal, for people to recognize my voice when they hear it and be the difference.
Q: How long did it take to create the EP?
A: Ya know, they say, “it takes your whole life to make your first album,” which was hard to believe, but if I’m being honest…it took me just that. My debut EP could’ve been released earlier in life since I’ve technically been recording for ten years, but it felt right to start here… so if we’re counting, two years.
Q: What message do you want to send listeners through the EP?
A: I wanted to send a bold message to my listeners that I’m here to stay. I’ve always admired artists like Abel, and Asap Rocky for their initial success. When you heard their mixtapes for the first time, you were like, “who is this?!” and instantly got hooked. I think it’s so hard for artists to be taken seriously in the beginning because everyone makes music. Still, I wanted my first impression to be memorable to the point where if it were your first time hearing me, you’d like to hear more or fall in love with one song along the way. So I tried to keep it short while still having something for everybody, but this is just the beginning. I’m beyond excited to show everyone what else I have in store.
Q: What are some other projects you’re working on right now, whether they are music related or not?
A: I’m working on new music almost daily, and I have a few more projects I’d like to end and begin the year with. However, I’m most excited about my duet tape with my brother Parker Sharpe “No Way Out,” and my next EP, “Charlie’s Angels.”
Q: Could you give us a final sentence to describe yourself and what you hope to bring into the world with your music?
A: A familiar yet, new sound that speaks beyond its years. I hope to leave a timeless imprint on music and always contribute with my attention to detail and innovative ideas, no matter what I’m a part of, for years to come.
Official EP “Long Time No See”
Instagram: @charlesham
Twitter: @thecharlesham
