Charlie Rogers Talks About Mental Health And New Single ‘Missed Call (Acoustic Version)’

He made one incredible song even better!

This probably isn’t the first time you’ve heard of Charlie Rogers-He’s quickly making a name for himself in the music industry. But what you might not know is that he released an acoustic version of his single ‘Missed Calls’, and we’re going to be honest: it might be one the best songs we’ve heard all year.

We had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Charlie about his Spotify numbers, his Neighbors, and more!

When did you first realize that you wanted to pursue a career in music?

C: “Music has been an ingrained part of me for as long as I can remember. There’s footage at me at an early age singing “The Sound of Music,” at the time of that footage I think I was around three years old. I also always leaned heavily into musical hobbies; piano, cello, guitar, choir, etc. So, the leap to writing and artistry really felt second nature. When I was in my later years of high school and teetering between fields and where I wanted my life to go, my choir teacher told me to look at my options, see the one that I
couldn’t live without, and pursue it. “If you can’t live without it, you better do it.” For me, that was music. From there the steps fell in line and my life began to move ‘full steam’ into a career in music.”

Tell us more about your amazing acoustic version of “Missed Calls” how it came to be.

C: “So, every time I do a big studio release, I also do an acoustic version, “Missed Calls” is no exception to that. The acoustic versions really started as a test for myself. I desperately wanted to learn how to produce and make music on my own without the help of the amazing producers and friends that I’ve worked with over the years. I wanted to create something that paid homage to the work that we’d done in the studio that was still the rawest expression of me as an artist and singer-songwriter because it is all me. Every note, every instrument, every vocal line is all engineered, tracked, and produced by me. It keeps me from getting rusty and helps me expand and learn. Each time I tackle another acoustic version, I learn something else within the production world. Each comes with its own set of challenges and its own learning curve and though I may occasionally get frustrated in the moments of creation and editing, I am always grateful for the lessons that I learn along the way. On “Missed Calls,” I tracked vocals (naturally), acoustic guitar, piano, cello, and I even did some room mic background vocals while tracking the others just so I could have them on the bridge and still maintain the authenticity I was after with the production.”

What is the best piece of advice you can give to your fans who might be struggling with mental health?

C: “You know, your mental health is your daily battle. Not everyone is going to understand the way that you feel or think but whatever you do don’t let that diminish your experience or what you are going through. I know it seems a bit patronizing at times, but your feelings are valid. I also know how much we like to be tough. We like to fake that we’re alright and that we don’t need assistance, and I challenge you to be open and vulnerable with yourself enough to recognize when you can no longer bear the brunt of it on your own and require a bit of outside help. Take it day by day (Rome wasn’t built in a day), allow yourself the same amount of grace that you would extend to others, and take the time to occasionally look back and see how far you’ve come. Some days will be rougher than others, but some days will also be spectacular. Don’t be afraid to hope for the spectacular. Additionally, if you live in the US and find yourself in need of further assistance with your mental health you can call or text 998 for support!”

When it comes to creating a track, what is the most exciting for you, workshopping the writing, the performance of laying down the vocals and the instrumental, or the production that pulls it all together?

C: “Ooo, that’s a tough one. Each of these facets have their own engaging and interesting aspects that I love. I think I’ll break down the parts I love best of each then answer as a whole. When it comes to writing there’s this amazing feeling when you come away from a session with something that you know is special. It’s a little like you’ve caught a bit of lightning in a bottle. It’s that realization that the spark of creation lives within you and is expressible and vivid. I’m going to be real with you and mark this next segment out of the final consideration for best overall simply because I am super critical of it. I have a very hard time allowing my vocal performance to just be what they are because unfortunately, I want them to be perfect, which I know they never will be. I have to let go a little bit and simply feel into what I think is right in the moment or for the song overall.

Don’t get me wrong, I love to sing, especially live, but when it’s thrown under the microscope and ultra analyzed and picked apart, it’s hard for me to be overly enamored with it. I’m actually going to change my mind again and say that production might be my favorite part. I love creating moments in a song that I may be the only person who ever notices or appreciates. It’s like you have an open letter to the world filled with littler easter eggs that are for you only. I know we’re talking specifically about the acoustic version of “Missed Calls,” but I love throwing in sounds of the outside world and nods to pop culture within my songs. That one in specific has an interpolation of the sound a black hole makes when talking about being in a “void of empty thinking.” Additionally, Jess (the original producer on the full version) and I paid homage to many of the iconic sounds that our phones make within the track. The layers add up and the subtleties find their niche and before you know it you have a fully fleshed out song!”

Can we talk about your social media for 10 seconds-Your Instagram is probably one of the most aesthetically pleasing pages we have ever seen. What led you to designing it to stand out above the rest on IG?

C: “Wow! Thank you so much! I’m not entirely certain what inspired my desire to have my Instagram so interconnected. I think that in some way I view social media, especially when it’s visual media, as a form of storytelling. These are snapshots of my life so they should be coherent and flow together. Such can also be said of release cycles. The visual aspect, which my boyfriend Evan handles so beautifully, is planned out almost as much as the production of the song is. We set about encompassing the feeling and the
vibe of the song in question and lean headfirst into it almost creating moments in my artistry that stand out as blanketed sections. In reality, I think we both wish we weren’t so particular about it; it can be a tedious and occasionally frustrating process to plan it all out and remember it all in the correct order and form.”

You have over 500,000 streams on just Spotify alone! What has been your reaction to your rising fame?

C: “I actually didn’t know that! Clearly my level of fame had alluded me. If you all could let the masses know that I’m a member of the ‘raising fame’ category, I would greatly appreciate it. I just put out songs and blogs and videos in the hopes of connecting with people out these and I guess clearly that is working to the extent of half a million streams on Spotify!”

We think it’s due time that you come up with a name for your ever growing fanbase-Any ideas off of the top of your head?

C: “Oh, I actually already have one and you can join my fan club through my website! Are we ready? Okay, my fan club name is…The Neighborhood, which I guess would make my fans Neighbors. Naturally it was a spin-off of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood BUT if you have any other suggestions, I’d love to hear them!”

Where can we follow your amazing journey?

C: “You can follow me on majority of the socials out there as either @CharlieRMusic @CharlieRogersMusic. Additionally, I put out a weekly blog on my website that features a wide array of topics and posts but a lot of the time it is current events based or based on what I’ve been up to in my life!”

Make sure to stream ‘Missed Call (Acoustic Version)’, available now on all music platforms!

Je’Kayla Crawford– Founder and Director– Je’Kayla has been a journalist for years and decided to start a publication of her own, New Scene Magazine, back in October 2020. When not helping her team and working on their print issues, you can find her watching a movie on Netflix or baking using a viral TikTok recipe.