Charlie Melrose is Brighton-based musician who recently took our interest when we heard a sneak listen to her 80’s-infused electro-soul track, which is soon to be released on the 9th November – entitled The Original Ghost, referring to the act of ghosting (for you non-millennials, take a look at Urban Dictionary) and we were so intrigued by this we thought we’d catch up with her and find out the story behind the track…
So music is something that runs in the family?
Eesh.. okay… well. My aunty is Hazel O’Connor, right… and my biological father is Neil O’Connor. He worked a lot with Hazel and also with Martin Rushent. My mother met Neil because she used to look after Martin Rushent’s children while Neil and him were working on an album by the Human League… then I came along after they’d been together a while.
But your dad wasn’t always around?
Unfortunately for me and my mum, music always came before us and Neil left for Canada when I was two. Throughout my childhood Neil would mostly not be there but occasionally come back… instead of hating him I just used to see him as this amazing person who obviously kept leaving because I was probably rubbish… you know how children’s brains work?
He basically ghosted me without a trace over and over again.
So its this story that inspired your track?
I wrote the song about him after I finally ghosted him back. I took control of the situation (only this time last year!) And told him what he had done to me in my childhood and equally in my adult life was unfair and that I wasn’t having it any more. I told him there was to be no contact from me or with me and that was that. I’m done. It was the single most frightening and yet empowering thing I’ve ever done. I love the song because it captures that empowering spirit but it also highlights some of the difficulties I’ve faced especially with relationships with men…
With a fascinating story and an inspirational confidence, it seems like Charlie’s latest single is setting her career in the right direction – you can follow her on the links below and the single is released on November 9th…
https://www.facebook.com/charliemelrosemusic/videos/281864852423605
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/charliemelrose
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0xPg9VQMYIHLCVxB0zHjNS?si=DunLQNBlTVywa-X43RX5qg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charliemelrosemusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charliemelrose