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Breakout emo star Charlotte Sands has finally dropped her long-awaited debut album, can we start over? and it is just gorgeous! The album is the realization of years of unprecedented independent success and showcases a dynamic and eclectic work of songwriting art. The record effortlessly weaves in and out of rock and pop, highlighted by a subtle homage to beloved 90s and 2000s alternative.

"A few months ago, I had no intention of releasing a full-length project," shared Sands. "I flew to LA in May and had three sessions with songwriter/producers Jutes, Alex Nice, and Keith ‘Ten4’. Every night that I left the studio, I remember thinking to myself, ‘That's my favorite song I’ve ever written’ – and then the next day, we would write a song I loved even more. At the end of the three days, I had three records that felt like the best music I’d ever been a part of. Each song was so different yet so representative of who I am now, I knew they would someday be released into the world but I was certain they had to be released together." She continued by saying, "I hope this album conveys strength, confidence, and power within vulnerability,” she says. “It feels like holding a mirror to myself and reflects exactly how I feel right now in this phase of my life. I feel more secure in who I am as a person and as an artist than I’ve ever been."

The LP opens with the self-love anthem "use me," where Sands uses a collection of rumbling instrumentation and rich vocals to reveal that she's been burned at the stake without a trial. She croons over the enticing production, "It's your world we're living in/ I could prove my innocence/ But you'd still make me drown in your denial." Through with the toxicity surrounding her, she belts, "Guess I'm not who you thought/ It's okay it's okay/ It's all good, you can hate me/ Am I not what you want?" as crashing percussion, reeling guitar riffs, and thrumming bass lines frame her soaring vocals.

Breezing past the previously released "pity" and "get over it," listeners are led to the bange that is "spite." It's a beautifully brutal "fuck you" track backed by pulsating drum kicks and angsty guitar riffs. Sands's raspy voice delivers biting lyrics in the track's pre-chorus, "I'm getting sick of being nice/ You hurt me every single time/ Well if you're gonna say goodbye," foreshadowing her bubbling rage. On the bombastic chorus, she proclaims and promises to those who wronged her, "Fuck it, I'll get famous out of spite/ I'll make it overnight/ Be starring in the movies/ Just to make you cry," vowing to be inescapable and reminding them just how badly they "fumbled the bag."

Other stand-out tracks include the romantic and high-octane "teeth," the soothing and vibrant "blindspot," and the pop-infused "dead body," which all set up my personal fav "on the outside," which sees her team up with Jon Ludin of Point North. The pair's vocals and overall presence on the track perfectly complement each other as they paint a vivid picture of what it feels like to be an outcast and look from the outside in. Gut-punching lines like, "In a different life/ I would go out at night/ And make friends with strangers...If I could just get it right/ I wouldn't be such a failure," and " feel like I try/ But it's the same every time/ Do you know what it's like?/ On the outside," cut deep into the heart of listeners, inducing tears wherever you may be at the time of listening to this cathartic tune.

The record takes a turn with the acoustic and sunny "die in this room," before delivering us to the grand finale of the LP, "can we start over?" Sparsely twinkling piano keys swirl around the sleek production as Sands's vocals take on a more mellow tone. She asks her loved one if they can start over as strangers, promising that she could let go of her anger, "Reintroduce you to all of my secrets/ I'll never leave you this time I'll mean it." As she echoes the sentiment of restarting, the piano lines grow in intensity as layers of strings, drum kicks, and subdued synths begin to fill the atmosphere before guitar and bass elements are introduced in the song's second verse. This jewel of a song builds into a cinematic final chorus, and the instrumentation begins to match the desperation of the question needing to be answered, with Sands' vocals soaring amid racing guitar riffs, thrumming bass lines, and aggressive drum patterns. Suddenly, after a seething pause, the energy is dialed up even more as the singer comes to the belting conclusion, "Maybe in a different life/ Maybe at a different time/ What if I was meant to be yours/ What if you were made to be mine," before coming to a slow falling lull and fading into the ether.

In the years leading up to her debut album, Sands has been prolific - constantly releasing music, charting at Top 40 pop radio for over 15 weeks, nominations for Breakthrough Artist at A2IM’s Libera Awards, taking home an award at London’s Heavy Music Awards, touring with legendary acts, all while remaining fiercely independent. She loves the freedom that being a fully independent artist grants you, making music on her own terms and releasing each song into the world when it feels right. Her debut album is the culmination of a lifelong dream, a project she waited to undertake until it aligned perfectly with her artistic vision.