Charlotte MacInnes grew up in Albany, a small rural town in Western Australia with no traffic lights and farmland as far as you can see. She made her way to London eventually, and a role in North Shore, which hit number one on Netflix in both the US and UK, put her on screens around the world. But music, she says, always kept pulling her back. This year she finally let it.
Today she releases “Celestial”, a synth-pop track written around a simple realisation: that she was in control of her own happiness. It’s the first single from her debut EP HIGHWATER, out June 26 via Atlantic Records, written alongside Ashnikko and Joe Janiak and produced by Coffee (Dua Lipa, Jessie Ware) and Zhone (Charli XCX, Troye Sivan). For someone who’s spent her career inhabiting other people’s characters, stepping into music means something different. “It feels more exposing in every way,” she says. “But there is also a liberation that comes with finding yourself in a space where you’re used to being other people.”
We put 18 questions to MacInnes, on oracle cards, skateboarding, the vastness of the ocean, and what it means to finally surprise yourself with your own courage.
1. What’s the first thing you usually do when you wake up in the morning?
Brush my teeth and then go and make a matcha.
2. What’s one small habit that keeps you grounded when things get busy?
I’m a big fan of oracle cards and painting.
3. When you hit a creative block, what actually helps you get out of it?
Walking alone through nature listening to Susanne Sundfør.
4. Are you someone who plans everything out, or do you tend to trust your instincts and figure it out as you go?
Ooo I’m definitely a planner but at the same time I think spontaneity is incredibly important for creativity and joy.
5. What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you?
I love skateboarding (I’m not great at it but I love it).
6. How do you usually know when an idea is worth turning into a full project?
I think it’s just a feeling. It’s a hell of a drug to write a song or have an idea that you can’t stop thinking about.
7. What kind of environment do you feel most creative in?
Definitely anywhere outdoors. I love feeling really small, like on the edge of a cliff or looking over the ocean. I am very inspired by the vastness of the natural world.
8. What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself over the past year?
I’ve really surprised myself with my courage.
9. You’ve already had success on screen, from North Shore to stage work like The Great Gatsby. What made now the right moment to step fully into music?
It felt like a bit of a now or never moment to step into music completely. I absolutely love acting but music will always pull me back in.
10. You’ve said you’ve been living with this music for a while before releasing it. What changed that made you feel ready to finally share it now?
I had written so many songs but I didn’t feel like I had the right pieces. Then there was one song I made and it felt like so many things clicked together and I knew what the rest of the EP had to look and sound like.
11. “Celestial” feels really introspective. What was the starting point for that track?
I think a lot of my music is really introspective. The starting point of “Celestial” was a realisation that I was in control of my own happiness and I wanted to make something to remind myself of what was real.
12. There’s a line about being “bigger than my ghosts.” What does that mean to you personally?
I don’t believe that you are the product of things that happen to you. I believe that you become what you do with those things. That line is about being stronger than the demons or negative thoughts that once had a hold on you.
13. How would you describe the world you’re building with your debut EP HIGHWATER?
“HIGHWATER” feels primal and wild but in a gorgeous angel diva kind of way.
14. You worked with artists and writers like Ashnikko and Joe Janiak. What did those collaborations bring out in you?
Both Ash and Joe are two of the smartest people I know. But they also have an awestruck view on the world that is so golden. Being around people that make you feel like your favourite version of yourself is the ultimate gift in a collaborator.
15. Sonically, “Celestial” leans into a synth-pop space. What is it about that sound that you keep coming back to?
I am really inspired by softer folk songs from the 70s which is what I lean into naturally, but the lyrics felt so drama that the 70s, 80s synth pop vibe felt like the perfect way to modernise and amplify those ideas.
16. You’ve already built a career on screen in projects like North Shore, where you’re stepping into a character. With music, it’s your own voice and experiences front and centre. Does that make it feel more exposed in comparison?
It feels more exposing in every way. But there is also a liberation that comes with finding yourself in a space where you’re used to being other people.
17. How has moving from Australia to London shaped your perspective or sound?
I’m from a small country town so London can sometimes feel like another planet. It has been incredibly inspiring to live in a place with people, music and ideas from all over the world in one city.
18. With HIGHWATER on the way, what do you hope people take from it after their first listen?
After listening to HIGHWATER, I hope people feel like they’ve stepped into a world of pop music that is empowering, imaginative, theatrical and emotional all at once.
“Celestial” is out now and EP HIGHWATER out June 26, pre-order here.
Follow via @charlotte__macinnes
