Sincerely… Charli Taft

“I’m Charli Taft, an artist, songwriter, and proud scouser. My debut album DLUXLIFE has just been released and it’s a true love letter to the R&B albums I grew up listening to. Since I was a child, writing and singing my own songs has felt like my superpower – my way of moving people, expressing myself, and making sense of the world.

I grew up with musician parents and was luckily exposed to an eclectic range of music. I particularly loved the poetic lyricism of Joni Mitchell, the emotive power of jazz, the raw, infectious grooves of Hip-Hop, and the vocal brilliance of R&B singers like Brandy, Mariah, and Faith Evans. I would spend hours practicing how to sing like them, learning every run until I could do them perfectly. I just always knew I wanted to write, sing and perform for the rest of my life.

I broke into the music industry as a songwriter, writing for UK artists like Ella Eyre and Becky Hill and I eventually found success as a hit K-Pop writer, working with groups like Red Velvet, Girls Generation, EXO, and SuperM, to name a few. I’m grateful that these experiences gave me
the opportunity to learn how to craft great songs! I also met my amazing producer Daniel Obi Klein and I started developing my solo material together.

Behind the scenes, I’ve always put my artistry first and I’ve been waiting to put out my first project for a few years. With DLUXLIFE, I wanted to make a strong statement that I’ve finally arrived as an artist. My goal was to bring back standards of excellence whilst staying authentic –
I feel it’s time to celebrate excellence in music again. I care deeply about my craft and I’m a genuine musician. I’m ready to show the world that I’m the real deal.

My sound is luxurious, high-end R&B soaked in slick, soulful nostalgia and I would loosely describe DLUXLIFE as influenced by Brandy’s “Full Moon” meets “Butterfly” era Mariah Carey with a sprinkling of vintage Amerie and late 90’s Bad Boy sensibilities. The album is a collage of
my favourite R&B inspirations and I wanted to show this visually too through my choreography and music videos. It represents a unique time in my life and captures what I set out to achieve when I make music – rich harmony, soulful melodies, heartfelt lyrics and above all, a tasteful and elevated musical experience.

Making this album has been a dream come true for me and I’ve absolutely poured my heart and soul into the entire process. Now it’s out, I’m excited for the future and I have so much more to give. I’m ready to put together a killer live show and start work on my follow-up project. One day, I hope I can become an important voice in UK R&B music and along with fellow artists, help to propel the genre forward by providing my own unique offering of progressive, inclusive, and
timeless, great music. “

By Charlie Taft