Artist Interview: Charlie Aky
Charlie Aky's return to music is an inspiring story. Discover how a lockdown guitar sparked a new chapter for this rising UK artist, fueled by TikTok and a lifelong passion for performing. From learning 'Wonderwall' to signing with a label in Berlin, Charlie shares his journey of rediscovery and the influences that shape his sound.
Tori: Your journey back to music is incredibly powerful. Can you tell us about the moment during lockdown when you picked up that old guitar again?
Charlie: I’d had a guitar sitting in my room for years. Between working full-time and everything else life throws at you, I just never made the time to really sit down and learn it. The idea of starting from scratch always felt a bit overwhelming. The first song I learned was WonderwalI. know, cliché, but still a great song.
Things really clicked for me when I got to the point where I could play and sing at the same time. That’s when I got properly hooked. I still remember the moment it happened. I was in my room, nothing glamorous, but I was playing I Took a Pill in Ibizaby Mike Posner. That simple moment really stuck with me.
Tori: You’ve said TikTok was a big part of your rediscovery—what made you decide to start sharing your music journey on the platform?
Charlie: At the start I feel like it was kind of a way of saying F you to everyone that had made me want to stop in the first place. I wanted to show people that music really was cool. I also wanted a way to really document my growth and progression which seemed to be quite gratifying for me in the beginning. I still love going back and looking at videos of me with ridiculously overgrown hair in lockdown trying to piece together 4 chords haha.
Tori: From stage school to street dance to singing—how did your early performing arts background shape the artist you are today?
Charlie: My early background really shaped me. Stage school gave me structure, while street/ break dance taught me to connect with music on a deeper, more instinctive level. I was also doing a lot of pop singing at the time, which made me fall in love with the genre and being an Ed Sheeran superfan definitely influenced my songwriting. Even when I stepped away from music, those early moments reminded me how powerful it could be. It all feeds into the artist I am today.
Tori: What was it like walking away from music during your teenage years, and how did that time away impact your creative process now?
Charlie: I think it’s definitely made me write from a much more mature perspective. I missed out on writing about certain situations and things in my life when they happened so I now get the chance to write about them with a very different outlook than I would have at the time. Which I always find interesting.
Tori: You’ve been candid about your mental health struggles—how has music helped you work through those challenges?
Charlie: Like for a lot of people music is an escape, not just listening but also writing and especially performing. It can completely disconnect you from anything that's going on in your life.
Tori: Busking became a big confidence-builder for you. What did performing on the streets teach you that the studio couldn’t?
Charlie: Busking is genuinely one of the greatest things I've ever done in my life, the majority of my best friends in music have come from busking. It was a huge motivator for me wanting to learn guitar in the first place. I was obsessed with all the big Grafton Street like Allie Sherlock, Jacob Koopman and ultimately Dermot Kennedys rise after starting busking.
Tori: Your covers on TikTok drew attention, but your originals are what really connect—how do you approach writing personal songs?
Charlie: When I'm writing I really try to combine my personal experience in a way that can also make a connection with other people. I think lots of people experience similar situations in their life and it's working out how to frame that musically to connect with as many people as you can.
Tori: You mention Dermot Kennedy, Billy Joel, Ed Sheeran, and Shawn Mendes as key influences—what is it about their music that resonates with you most?
Charlie: They all connect with me for different reasons. Ed Sheeran was the first artist I really really connected with on an emotional level. I have vivid memories of putting his first few albums on repeat on long drives and just daydreaming the whole way. I’ve always been fascinated by the way Shawn Mendes has such raw emotional honesty combined with such strong pop top lines makes him very unique. Billy Joel has always been one of my favourites stemming from my dads love for 70s music. Vienna especially. That song is just full of life lessons. Finally, Dermot Kennedy has been a massive influence for me in the last few years. I’ve always been a fan of folk-pop and Dermot Kennedy combines that perfectly with R&B elements too. This with his lyrics that are so poetic really resonate with me.
Tori: Are there any particular lyrics—your own or someone else’s—that have become a mantra for you?
Charlie: I have SO MANY. Billy joel has an absolute pethera to choose from but i’ll just pick a few… “Dream on but don't imagine they'll all come true” is pretty self explanatory but I think about this constantly. Also, “you’ve got your passion, you've got your pride but don’t you know that only fools are satisfied.” another lyric that really helped me through my teenage years and still does daily.
Tori: Now that you’re signed with SEAR Music and working out of Berlin, how has your sound evolved from your early recordings?
Charlie: It’s been amazing so far. The change of environment coupled with getting the chance to work with so many incredible musicians has been very inspiring. I feel like we're really starting to hone in on my style and niche. Which I cannot wait for everyone to start to hear evolving as the releases start coming FAST in the next few months.
Tori: You said you used to dream of just making a living from gigging. How does it feel now to be considered one of the UK’s rising artists?
Charlie: Little Charlie would be very proud of where we are and in saying that Charlie from 3 years ago would be absolutely gobsmacked. I really struggled through my teenage years and to be here now, though it's only the beginning, is very inspiring for me.
Tori: What's the biggest lesson you’ve learned since returning to music full-time?
Charlie: Being a musician is hard! So never compare yourself to other people. Everyone is on their own unique journey and no one's the same.
Tori: You’ve found purpose through both music and the gym—how do those two disciplines support each other in your life?
Charlie: I think it's very easy, especially when you don't have a regular job that you have to be up for, to just become very lazy. However, the gym and routine it brings helps to stop that as well as always remembering to take time especially in music to just play music because you love it. Not just for work as it were.
Tori: How do you balance vulnerability and relatability in your lyrics without feeling too exposed?
Charlie: It's a hard balance to achieve. Lots of my newer music is much more vulnerable but it's something that I'm constantly trying to improve and I'm not sure I have a definitive answer for yet.
Tori: What’s next for Charlie Aky—can fans expect an album soon, more singles, or maybe a tour?
Charlie: I’m not sure I know where to start. I want to do all of the above. So much new music is ready to go. Maybe an EP and literally as many shows as I can. We're working on a school tour which is very exciting. I LOVE performing and meeting everyone. So that's a real priority for me moving forward.
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