Charlie Belle

Charlie Belle is an American indie pop duo from Austin, Texas composed of siblings Jendayi and Gyasi Bonds.[1]

Charlie Belle
Background information
OriginAustin, Texas, United States
GenresIndie Pop, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock
Years active2009–present
LabelsFanatic Records, Caroline Records, AWAL
WebsiteOfficial website
Members
  • Jendayi Bonds
  • Gyasi Bonds

Early life

Jendayi and Gyasi Bonds lived just outside Philadelphia in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania 2004–2008. In 2005, they attended The Paul Green School of Rock for three years in Philadelphia, the music school that the movie School of Rock is based.[2] After relocating to Austin, Texas in 2008, the pair began performing as Rank & File without realizing that a local punk band had the same name. They eventually changed the band's name to Charlie Belle, which is their paternal great-grandmother's name. They have cited the Arctic Monkeys, The Roots,[3] The Strokes, and Corinne Bailey Rae as influences.[4] Jendayi attended the Ann Richards School[5] and graduated from Anderson High School in 2016 [6] and Belmont University in 2020. Gyasi graduated from Anderson High School in 2019.

History

Early years and formation

Originally from the Philadelphia area, Jendayi and Gyasi, along with their parents, moved (back) to Austin, Texas in 2008 and officially formed Charlie Belle (the band's great grandmother's name). Since 2009 the band has played at national festivals such as Austin City Limits Music Festival[7] and SXSW Music Festival.[8] [9][10][11] The pair's paternal grandparents are classically trained professional singers and retired educators of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts.[12][13] Their grandfather, Samuel Bonds, Sr., founded and directed the award winning Duke Ellington Show Choir,[14][15] and has worked with world-renowned opera singers Jessye Norman and Denyce Graves.[3]

2015–2017

In 2015, Charlie Belle released an EP titled Get to Know, which was recorded at East Austin Recording Studio and was produced by James Stevens of the band Moonlight Towers. It garnered acclaim from NPR,[16] Nylon Magazine,[17] and The Guardian.[1] This spurred their signing to NYC boutique label, Fanatic Records, a subset of Caroline Records. In late 2015, the duo released a second EP, the first with their new label, titled, I Don't Want to Be Alone, which garnered similar acclaim.[16]

2017–2019

In early 2016, Charlie Belle began recording their debut LP at Orb Recording Studios in Austin TX. Produced by Matt Noveskey of Blue October, the original 10-song LP was remastered as two 5-song EPs. Like I Love This was independently released September 2018 while the remaining 5 songs are unreleased.

2020–present

July: Charlie Belle released the single Sun-Dried in collaboration with UK DJ Star Slinger. The song samples the 2015 banger Shake You Off from the band's debut release. Elaborating on the notion of being pushed into a relationship that you didn't necessarily want, Star Slinger was inspired by an ex who "love bombed" him into a romance.

September: Charlie Belle released the single Looking For Magic, one of the previously unreleased songs recorded at Orb Recording Studios in 2016.

October: Charlie Belle released the single What About Me?, one of the previously unreleased songs recorded at Orb Recording Studios in 2016.

Discography

Studio EPs

  • Get To Know [EP] (2014)
  • I Don't Want To Be Alone [EP] (2015)
  • Like I Love This [EP] (2018)

Singles

  • "Sun-Dried" [in collaboration with Star Slinger] (2020)
  • "Looking For Magic" (2020)
  • "What About Me?" (2020)

References
  1. "Hello". "They're armed with the most infectious kind of power-pop." -Wired. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  2. "The real school of rock". the Guardian. 22 February 2004. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  3. "Sibling duo Charlie Belle put their spin on pop". mystatesman.com. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  4. "Texas-Based Indie Pop Trio Charlie Belle Releases Debut EP". grungecake.com. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  5. https://www.npr.org/buckets/music/women/artist.php?artistId=134
  6. Glaser, Rachel (16 March 2016). "SXSW Music Starts with Texans on Stage". everythinglubbock.com. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  7. "Homegrown". austinchronicle.com. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  8. Glaser, Rachel (16 March 2016). "SXSW Music Starts with Texans on Stage". yourbasin.com. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  9. McFarland, Kevin (2015-03-17). "Trust Us, These 10 Bands at SXSW Are About to Blow Up". Wired. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  10. "41 SXSW 2015 Artists You Need In Your Life". buzzfeed.com. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  11. "Seven the Hard Way". austinchronicle.com. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  12. "Duke Ellington School of the Arts". Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  13. http://www.ellingtonschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Vocal-Music-Handbook-2016-2017.pdf
  14. Williams, Erin (1 July 2011). "Duke Ellington Show Choir prepares to take their talent overseas". washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  15. "Duke Ellington School of the Arts Show Choir – New Frontiers 2016". www.newfrontiers2016.org. Archived from the original on 28 February 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  16. "A Moment With Charlie Belle, Teen Siblings And A Band To Watch". npr.org. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  17. "charlie belle is the coolest (+ youngest) band you need to know". nylon.com. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
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