Just as summer starts to roll around, and the nostalgic heat forces us to reminisce on a time that once was, we are graced with a cathartic album proven to remind us of exactly who we are. Singer-songwriter, Charlotte Lawrence, offers us a new companion in artistic form as her brand new album, Somewhere, was released this week. 

Just ahead of her North American headline tour, due to begin this July in San Francisco, Somewhere marks a significant milestone for Lawrence. Now operating as an independent artist, she emerges with a renewed sense of creative autonomy, delving deeper into introspective songwriting and embracing raw vulnerability that has long defined her voice in the indie-pop realm. This album not only signals a personal reawakening for Lawrence but also showcases her eclectic musical sensibilities. Collaborations with artists such as Ben Gibbard, Chad Smith, and Gracie Abrams give the album a diverse sound, each lending their own touches

Pulling from her own experiences, Lawrence puts her personal life on the line as her lyrics offer a helping hand for anyone going through heartbreak. Though her lyrics are poignant and melodic, Somewhere evokes a feeling that clarity and rebirth are coming, even if you, as Lawrence frames it, feel like “a dog in the window”. With her album being released this week, we sat down with Lawrence to discuss her feelings on the new album, her coinciding artistic endeavors this year, and how her music career will pivot as an independent artist. 

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Somewhere is your debut album and your first release as an independent artist. How does it feel to be putting this out on your own terms?

It feels terrifying and freeing at the same time. For the first time, I wasn’t making music to please anyone or fit into any kind of box. I was just writing what I wanted to write, as messy and complicated as I wanted. Releasing this independently meant I had control over every part of it—what it sounds like, what it looks like, the rollout, the marketing. It is hard, but it’s rewarding. It’s the most “me” I’ve ever felt musically, and that’s both empowering and vulnerable.

“Dog” and “Us Three” introduced us to this new chapter. Can you walk me through where these songs sit emotionally in the arc of the album?

“Dog” and “Us Three” kind of live at the emotional breaking point of the album. “Dog” is angry—it’s the version of heartbreak that comes with humiliation and rage, when you’re realizing someone’s been treating you like you’re disposable. And “Us Three” is the crash after that. It’s more delicate, more painful in a quiet way. That song hurt to write. They both sit near the front half of the album, where everything still feels raw and unresolved. They set the tone for the chaos and confusion that follows, before things start to settle and soften toward the end.

This is your most personal project to date. Did writing it feel like therapy, a confession, or something else entirely?

It was completely therapeutic and healing. Sometimes writing music is the only way I truly process what I go through—whatever that may be. Writing this album gave me a place to put the feelings instead of letting them eat me alive. It’s a little bit therapy, a little bit confession, a little bit of fun, and a little bit of letting myself be seen for real.

You’re about to hit the road for your North American headline tour. What are you most excited about? What are you most nervous about?

I’m most excited to be face-to-face with people and love each other in person again. I feel so lucky that people support me all across the world, and it is the most special feeling in the universe to get to truly connect with them versus just through a screen. Especially with these venues being more intimate, I think it’s gonna be really special. 

You’re also starring in Bad Monkey with Vince Vaughn. What’s it like balancing a growing music career with acting?

It’s chaotic and amazing. Acting lets me escape myself, while music forces me to sit in my own emotions and confront them. They balance each other out and complement each other. But it’s definitely a challenge. I care so deeply about both, and sometimes it feels like I’m being pulled in two directions at once. I still wouldn’t have it any other way, though. 

How do you think that this version of you—this album, this tour—would surprise people?

I hope it lets them see a different side of me. I’ve grown a lot over the past few years—personally and creatively—and this album reflects that. It’s more raw, more honest, and way more vulnerable than anything I’ve put out before.