Perfect View written, performed and produced by former Wallace Hall Academy pupil Charlie Carr
From primary school talent contests to performing at Liverpool’s world famous Cavern Club, Charlie Carr’s life has always revolved around music.
This weekend he released his first single, Perfect View, which he wrote and produced, while studying at the prestigious Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), founded by Paul McCartney.
The song, which Charlie, 20, describes as “Chilled Indie Pop” was written last November as he was reminiscing about pre-Covid summer days as a student in Liverpool.
Charlie’s parents, Sue and Tom, who live near Dumfries, first recognised their son’s talent when he took over the piano Sue had been given as a birthday present, racing through his grades with tutor, Maxine Windsor.
A pupil at Cargenbridge Primary School, he won prizes at Dumfries Music Festival each year and started song writing when he moved on to Wallace Hall Academy in Thornhill.
Sue said: “Charlie’s appetite for music grew while at Wallace Hall. He spent every break and lunchtime in the music department practicing and experimenting. When he was at home, rather than be reminded to practice his piano, we had to remind him to finish playing and go to bed! He would play into the night quite happily.
“We would find lyrics written in jotters and notebooks everywhere.”
Progressing his lessons with Maxine, Dougie Carroll and Robert Maitland, Charlie made his first piano music CD at 13-years-old, selling it to friends and family and igniting his interest in music production.
At 14, Charlie auditioned and won a scholarship for Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, where he lived and breathed music with like-minded children.
During his four years at Chetham’s, with its strict routine of classical and jazz training, Charlie gained confidence in his playing, performing and technical ability and learned from top mentors including top jazz musician Les Chisnall who still teaches him today.
After A levels, Charlie successfully secured a place at LIPA, to study Song Writing and Music Production, despite extremely limited places.
At LIPA Charlie submerges himself in a highly creative environment, collaborating with other writers and musicians. He has performed in several bands, co-written songs, performed at Liverpool venues such as Zanzibar, Jimmy’s, 24 Kitchen St and is due to play at a gig at the Cavern Club in November.
Inspired by artists such as Tom Misch, Easy Life and Rex Orange County, Charlie enjoys working with other artists and has recorded vocals and keyboards at the Motor Museum Studios in Liverpool as well as LIPA’s own studios.
Sue said: “Obviously Covid has had an impact on the music students at LIPA, with limitations on meeting, practicing and performing together, which is a big part of their progression, but now Charlie is back in Liverpool, it’s full on again and he is forging ahead with all musical opportunities that are coming his way.”
Later this week Charlie is performing on the Light Piano as part of the Liverpool River of Light Festival from October 22 to November 7.
Charlie says his ambition is to develop a successful career from the music industry and to make music that makes people happy.
Released on October 29, Perfect View, written, sung and produced by Charlie Carr, mixed by Fraser Moran, mastered by Nathan Chinn, with artwork by Evelyn Cheng, is available to stream now, on all streaming services. His next single is due to be released in January 2022. You can follow Charlie Carr’s music on his Instagram https://www.instagram.com/charlie_carrrr/.
The single can be listenend to here.
https://music.apple.com/…/perfect-view-single/1588306355
