Heartbreak, it turns out, makes for excellent car jams. That’s the vibe running through CHARLS’ 1883 playlist takeover, a collection built from the songs that got her through the aftermath of a breakup and, in the process, became the soundtrack to her debut album.

The London-based singer-songwriter releases Heartbreak Looks Good On Me on October 1st via The Orchard, an album written in real time as she pieced herself back together, in her words, “in the basement of a carpet shop in North London.” This playlist is the raw material behind it. “The below collection are genuinely many of the songs that soundtracked the aftermath of a breakup,” she says. “That was the time that I wrote my debut album, so naturally there are a few of my own songs in there as well.”

Her picks range from crying at the piano to Dijon’s ‘The Dress’ to screaming the chorus of her own ‘I’m Not Missing You’ at full volume once the healing actually kicked in. LEON, Olivia Dean, Aaron Rowe, sombr, Lola Young and fliss all make the cut, alongside her tracks ‘Heads Up’ and forthcoming single ‘Trust My Gut’, each one mapped to a different stage of the comedown, from betrayal to self-reclamation.

Today also brings CHARLS’ new single ‘Paranoid Heart’, written with Sarah Close, plus news that she’ll play London’s Lower Third (Up) on November 4th.

Her advice for anyone playing this on repeat right now: ” Science says that if you listen to this playlist in order, once a day, for approx 7 days, hearts be healing. I’m sending you loads of love. I’ve been there, it’s really hard, but I promise it gets better. Go do something for you.”

‘Heads Up’ – CHARLS

I find the stripped back production and layered vocals on this song really cathartic. Lyrically, it’s got menacing undertones but it’s dressed up like a folkie lullaby. 

‘Hope is a Heartache’ – LEON

LEON’s voice is perfection to me. It’s like being hit by a tidal wave of emotion listening to her. If I’d sat down and read the lyrics at the time I was leaning on this song, they didn’t even reflect the situation I was going to. However, there’s a feeling wrapped up in there that felt so raw and I really related to it.

‘The Dress’ – Dijon

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve curled up in a ball and cried to this song or sat at the piano and sung it with tears streaming down my face. I can’t even articulate what it is. Sometimes a song just finds you right when you’re going through it and becomes your anthem. This is that song for me.

‘UFO’ – Olivia Dean

Does this not sound like coming home? The lyric ‘I need somewhere to land’ really spoke to me. I didn’t think of it as a song about a relationship, it was the soundtrack for letting my family and friends rally around me when I needed to be scooped up. 

‘Lose Lose’ – Aaron Rowe

I was cheated on in my last relationship, which is something that changes you forever. It’s really hard to heal from. The lyric ‘if i walk away I’ve nothing left, If i take you back i can’t forget’ hit me right in the gut. This wasn’t released when I probably needed it most but I heard it recently and loved it instantly. 

‘I wish i knew how to quit you’ – sombr

I love everything sombr touches! I think he has such a talent for writing songs that are really sad but his production is interesting and exciting. It’s something that I tried to do in my own music; have songs that have one foot in the mud and one in the clouds so that by the end you feel uplifted. 

‘Trust My Gut’ – CHARLS

This is top of the list for my car jam recommendations. Nothing will heal you quite like a long drive with Trust My Gut on full blast. Learning to listen to my gut instinct was such a silver lining from my last relationship. 

‘Walk All Over You’ – Lola Young

I’ve always been a huge Lola fan. She’s an impeccable songwriter. I am so here for the pettiness and sarcasm in this one. It’s empowering and conversational and clever and bloody brilliant.

‘shortman syndrome’ – fliss

A new one that made the cut at the last minute! I only discovered fliss recently and am already a big fan! It’s got that throwback fleetwood feel. Lyrically it could’ve slotted right into my album lineup. Love the strong feminine energy in the lyrics.

‘I’m Not Missing You’ – CHARLS

Finishing off the song you need when you realise that life is actually BETTER without them. You’ve spent months filling your own cup and life is on the up. Blast it and scream the chorus for maximum healing powers.