Selected snips and sound-bites from various reviews, interviews and features
Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music,
“Out there in Streaming Land there are naturally gifted singers and then there are the rest of us, and you can tell within seconds that Charlie Leavy belongs effortlessly in the first category. In the coming years she’ll be able to pick pretty much any direction she wants to… Charlie also has the potential to be a far more interesting and authentic artist than that, with a unique English voice and viewpoint that are all her own”
Will Gompertz, BBC Arts Editor,
“Charlie reminds me of a young Kate Bush”
True to form the first act tonight proves to be the most interesting. Charlie Leavy makes a big impact with just her voice and an acoustic guitar, sounding more California than her native Hook Norton. Relentlessly upbeat, one great song follows another, catchy tunes with straightforward yet personal lyrics like the poignant ‘Tongue Tied’. Only seventeen, she writes and performs with frank simplicity that comes as a breath of vitalising air, her take on Pixie Lott’s ‘Mama Do’ trouncing the original.
Charlie has managed to produce a powerful debut, a stunning 5-track EP which shines with the same brightness as many of the other great female stars of today. This EP is such a relaxing, laid back, chilling kind of record. Charlie’s songs just cut out all the loud noises in life and take you to the heart of the music. With “The Best Damn Ride”,Charlie has produced a top shelf entry into a market currently chock full of great female singer songwriters.
Man, did I freak out when I found out that this stunning talent was only 17 years old when she wrote and recorded this. Man, the voice, the songwriting, the music, it’s all so mature, so age-weathered, so, so . . . so damn perfect. Best of all, I could listen to Charlie sing for hours and hours. If Ripple Music put out singer-songwriter stuff, she’d be signed today, or rather, yesterday. Can’t wait to see where she goes with her music next.
“Live”, it’s just her, an acoustic guitar and heart full of soul but these recording are perhaps a better indicator of what’s she’s capable of, from the jazzy, very slightly funky soul-pop of `The Way Life Is’… but best of the lot here is the lush, synthy `Summer Day Runaway’, again soulful but simple and poppy; the only thing between it and hit status is a decent publicist. Charlie Leavy is a decent outside bet for next local breakout artist.
Charlie Leavy is a singer / songwriter to be admired. With over 100 songs recorded and having spent a lot of her time travelling and playing shows wherever she can Charlie shows no sign of letting up. How this girl manages to fit in shows, recording and A levels is beyond me but again hats off! Charlie Leavy is quite simply naturally talented and that is few and far between in the music scene nowadays! Keep doing what your doing!
“The Best Damn Ride” Really expresses Charlie’s ability as a musician. The quality, mixing and mastering of her EP is elite, second to none, which is very good for an indie artist. Her acoustic guitar playing ability, and singing ability is second to none. Her voice is as powerful in the studio as it is live. It is both soothing and relaxing, She doesn’t overdo it and hits every note with ease. I really like what she’s doing here, mixing folk, with pop and indie.
Summers Day Runaway, is a song produced with a little more reverb than the other songs, which gives her voice a wonderful melancholic undertone. Its melody lingers in your mind, long after listening to it. Running My Mouth, clearly demonstrates Charlie’s amazing songwriting skills. Charlie Leavy is still a very young singer songwriter and is very gifted. She has the potential to sing in almost every genre. I’m curious which path she chooses to take.
Charlie Leavy, from Hook Norton via Leeds, falls neatly into the confessional-girl-with-guitar bracket…. when she hits the right tone, as on `Patchworks’, she shows she’s got something worth investigating, a sweet, almost folky voice that she pushes just to its limits and no further, and a strong sense of melody. We’d like to hear more of her natural Yorkshire accent in her singing but with a more polished sound on her recent `The Best Damn Ride’, there’s undoubtedly better things ahead for her…
Most 17 year olds are just starting to try to figure out what path they want to take and UK artist Charlie Leavy may be too but, one thing is sure, hers will lead down the road to music. The talented singer, songwriter and guitarist just released an impressive EP titled ‘The Best Damn Ride” on August 1st and is gearing up to take her career on an incredible ride, indeed. “The Way Life Is”, showcases her melodic voice and clever catchy lyrics.
While she is young, she was born in 1996, her music shows maturity. Her voice is sweet and she has talent. And she can play her guitar. And The Best Damn Ride is worth listening to. She doesn’t try to overshadow her talent with loads of extras. That doesn’t mean that she doesn’t enhance the music with rhythms and other instruments. She just has focus & knows her strengths -the sign of a musician who will grow to be a good performer in my opinion.
Overall, the production is clean and Charlie sings with passion beyond her years. The music is tight and heart-felt. Her lyrical delivery is quick and clever, although personally I would like to see her branch out from love songs into other subjects as she matures. She does it well, however. You can tell she’s sincere and the songwriting is advanced for her age, so I think she’s going to go far.
Barely 30 seconds into the first song of her Best Damn Ride EP and it’s obvious that Charlie is going places… but the songwriting highlights a talent that is on the verge of something outstanding. The music alone is worth stopping to take note of, until you find yourself lost in the articulation of the theme. Instead of the common “wearing my heart on my sleeve”, Leavy has something more to offer listeners through her poetic and musical touch.
Charlie Leavy releases new hot EP “The Best Damn Ride” . Strong vocals and very professionally arranged music makes this EP a very commercially strong release. Pop music mixed with country spice and funky attitude enchanted by beautiful melodies. Even the slower songs are energetic & all songs have their own unique mood and that makes this EP one of the best EP’s I’ve heard this year.
It is rare to find a young artist so remarkable that it seems as if they have lived generations before their time. These are the artists who stand out among the weeds, pushing forward to have long careers expressing legendary sounds and influencing their peers in a positive manner. With an awe-inspiring sound and lyrical content that rivals artists such as the world-renowned Adele, ‘The Best Damn Ride’ could not be more appropriately named.
I never know what to expect from independent artists, as I’ve heard a lot of bad in my day. Charlie Leavy is one of those stand outs, that you aren’t sure about until you actually listen. It was with the release of “The Best Damn Ride” EP that I was floored by the talented artist. You’ll find that this is one good record, especially if you like independent music, pop, acoustic and alternative records. The lyrics alone make this one worthwhile…
Overall, this is a very accomplished and impressive set of songs that tick both the boxes of artistic integrity and commercial potential. In a musical climate where decent exposure can be increasingly hard to come by, both these qualities are necessary. With such strong material and pro-level production I would expect Charlie Leavy to make strong headway and perhaps even become a female Ed Sheeran… and I look forward to hearing her debut album.
A friend recommended Charlie Leavy to me, and I am glad she did! It is very rare to hear such honesty in someones lyrics these days, combined with catchy chords and a sound that sounds very unique, yet somehow familiar. It is really refreshing to hear music that sounds like it is written because the artist really felt strong about the things she sings about, not because she wants fame, fortune or both.
Her voice is warm and enticing and brings in influences from folk, blues, and even some country music… her acoustic guitar are able to captivate an audience with upbeat songs that demand attention. The standout track for me is “Summer’s Day Runaway”. The catchy train rolling along drumbeat pushes the song forward as the lyrics are delivered with a sense of emotion not seen too much today. The wall of sound behind Charlie creates a full experience of music.
There is a level of maturity and ability to CHARLIE LEAVY that neatly elevates her music to a deserved status of appreciation, There is a smart way that she is able to open up her songs that allows the listener feel the committed emotion that she seems to invest in each track. To listen to her music is to listen to a truly great artist and her age can only indicate her potential is yet to be realised.