Claire Cottrill — professionally known as Clairo — explores growth, solitude and emotional vulnerability in her third album, “Charm.” Known for softening the line between R&B, soul, folk and indie, Clairo first entered the music industry after her bedroom-pop single, “Pretty Girl,” found success in 2017.
Clairo released “Charm” on July 12, a little over a month after the lead single, “Sexy to Someone.” Ranked in “The 21 Best Albums of 2024 (So Far)” by Vogue, her album was also decorated for its “paramount” craft and referred to as becoming “one of the most revered songwriters of her generation” in Rolling Stone.
“I feel like I can listen to [‘Charm’] no matter my mood,” Kristina Krusteva (12) said. “Her music feels nostalgic.”
In her third album, Clairo aims to combine her music style of her previous two albums.
Released in 2019, “Immunity,” was leaning towards a lighter soundscape using drums, synth pads and a fat low end. This technique created a warm and dense bass-frequency signal. Clairo’s 2021 album, “Sling,” offers another aspect of her musical talents by featuring tracks from vintage keyboards, a Wurlitzer electric piano, and string quartet. While “Immunity” is uptempo, touching on angst and experiences of a teenage girl, “Sling” serves as her gradual reflection, like snow falling at the end of autumn. In “Charm,” however, Clairo blends the acoustic and electric landscape of her previous albums to create a soft, yet raw world where she bridges the gap between prior music and the person she has become, introducing herself once more.
“My favorite song in the album, if I had to choose, would be ‘Nomad’ because I like how she combines soft melodies with that longing feeling,” Krusteva said.
In the first song in the tracklist, “Nomad,” Clairo grapples with solitude. She discusses preferring to be wanted at the cost of “sleeping alone” than never to be loved and reflects on the way a nomad finds home like how she searches for love. Heavily layered in both context and vocals, “Nomad” opens the album with both yearning and complexity.
Clairo released “Sexy to Someone” as the lead single of “Charm” on May 23, 50 days prior to the release of the full album. Like her other songs, it draws inspiration from retro, but also incorporates jazz and ‘70s melodies. In this song, Clairo expresses her longing for external validation as a constant thought during seemingly unremarkable, small moments of her everyday life, such as “Checking out of the hotel or moments at a bar.” Here, she alludes towards movie scenes in hotels or bars where characters are “sexy to someone.” As she ends the verse, Clairo breaks the illusion: “Ask if I’m in a movie, no, I didn’t get the part.”
“Juna,” like the “Sling” instrumental track “Joanie,” was named after one of Clairo and “Charm” co-producer Leon Michels’ three dogs — the other being Luna. In the first verse, Clairo depicts a deep, emotional connection: “Come to me slowly / It’s when you talk close enough / That I feel it on my skin.” Alongside airy tunes and percussion that draws closeness between the music and listener, another nod toward ‘70s, Clairo narrates familiarity and connection beyond physical touch in the pre-chorus, singing, “I don’t even try / I don’t have to think / With you, there’s no pretending.” This song was also Clairo’s fifth music video, the first one in five years.
“I love the album as a whole,” Krusteva, who is also going to a “Charm” tour later this year, said. “I feel like it’s an album with no skips and all of her lyrics hit.”
Throughout “Charm,” Clairo’s introspection weaved between playful and soulful tracks breathes life into her music while proving her strength as a lyricist as well as artist, showcasing her ability to touch emotions of love and young adulthood. Whether it be giddy tracks like “Sexy to Someone” and “Juna” or desire in “Nomad,” Clairo’s music expresses a reinvention of human nature.
