Stockholm-born singer-songwriter and heartfelt soul-pop/jazz recording artist Charlotte Enegren challenges society's unfortunate norms with her compelling new single, "Whisper."
Although born in Stockholm, Charlotte Enegren spent most of her life abroad in Brussels, London, and Paris. Her passion for blues, soulful voices, and jazz landed her in various jazz and blues-rock bands in Paris. With a Masters in Popular Music at Goldsmiths, Charlotte Enegren has the knowledge, talent, and grit to move musical mountains.
A prime example of her moving and compelling pieces is the latest single, "Whisper," a result of the feeling (and reality) of being silenced and objectified as a woman, especially in the male-dominated music scene. Nevertheless, this well-rounded piece is stunning, from Enegren's harmonious vocals to the smooth jazz instrumentals.
Diving deeper into "Whisper," the experience softly opens with gentle piano melodies that set the introspective and emotional tone. As the light percussion begins tapping in, Charlotte Enegren's warm and lush vocals dance overtop while singing profoundly relatable lyricism. "Don't tell me I need to smile. Who do you think you are?"
We'd even make the bold statement that every woman to walk the face of the earth can find a piece of themselves in Enegren's lyrics. In fact, any group or community that's been treated like second class. As unfortunate as it is, songs like this are deeply needed if we truly want to rally change and reach justice, respect, and personal autonomy once and for all.
Sink into the smooth jazz sonics and awaken yourself with Charlotte Enegren's bone-chilling lyrics in her moving new single, "Whisper," now available on all digital streaming platforms.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Charlotte Enegren. We sincerely appreciate such needed and awareness-raising songs like "Whisper." What experiences inspired you to create a song about the silencing and objectification of women?
Thank you so much for having me, BuzzMusic! Inequality and women’s rights have been very close to my heart ever since I was a young teenager. “Whisper” wasn’t inspired by one particular instance per se but an accumulation of many experiences, both my own and those of women I know, which compelled me to pen this song and put this message out there. I think simply being a woman in this world and a woman making music within what is traditionally a highly male-dominated industry places you in a position where you will face silencing and objectification on a regular basis. “Whisper” is about highlighting this issue, rejecting the status quo, and not settling for anything less than respect and an equal playing field.
Did you encounter any personal or emotional challenges when creating "Whisper"? How did you overcome these obstacles (if any)?
I wrote “Whisper” as part of a songwriting class I took during my Master's program in Popular Music at Goldsmiths College in London. The track was chosen to be part of a mixtape they do every year of students’ work which was super exciting! But when the mixtape was released, my vocals had been altered so much that they were barely recognizable as my own anymore. All this was done without my consent which struck me, as ironically, this is exactly the kind of experience that “Whisper” is all about in the first place! This was an obstacle that I had to overcome, and it gave me a deep desire to rework the track from a fresh perspective, so releasing “Whisper” on my own terms this time has been a way for me to reclaim it and not let this experience taint the song. If anything, it has given me all the more reason to keep pushing to have my own voice as an artist and always have this at the forefront of everything I do.
What did you have in mind for the overall sound and atmosphere of "Whisper"? How do these smooth instrumentals enhance your lyrical message?
The piano/keys melody is where the song started and was the first part I wrote. Initially, it had a very classical feel to it which helped set the emotional tone of the song, but then creating a simple beat to sit underneath gave it some grit and certainly made the lyric writing flow and feel super natural. I wanted a sparse arrangement to let the lyrical message shine through and be the song's focal point. I co-produced this new version of “Whisper” with my close friend and collaborator Slow Shudder, who also remixed and remastered the track bringing a freshness to it without steering far from the original version. The chorus of “aaaas” symbolizes a release in a way that brings it all together. The song is all about the atmosphere and creating a certain tension, hopefully provoking the listener to think about the subject matter at hand.
Are you typically one to create such moving songs that champion justice, respect, and the greater good, similar to "Whisper"? Is this an important part of your music career?
I certainly find topics like injustice and inequality very compelling to write about. Something that really strikes a chord with me is society’s complexities around these issues. I find that debating and having an open conversation is important and the only way to move forward and make real positive change happen. There is still a long way to go, but music is a great way to express this need for change! I think calling attention to these issues will always be an important part of my songwriting and who I am as an artist and person. I tend to go quite deep with what I write about and the topics of my songs, but for me, music is also about having fun and being an outlet for expressing a range of emotions and experiences, both light and dark.
What's next for you?
Next up, I have a few songs in the pipeline that I’ve collaborated on with fellow artist friends that I’m excited to release over the coming year! The subject matters of these songs are pretty personal, too, and reflect other parts of my songwriting. I love working with like-minded musicians and learning so much from exploring different sounds and ideas.