Proud GuriNgai woman, a descendant of Bungaree and Matora, Charlie Needs Braces finally lifts the veil on her awaited debut album Saltwater People, out since 10 February.

Previewed with singles Daryung, Yanoo, and title track Saltwater People, which combined saw Charlie featured on Spotify’s Original Storytellers, added to PBS FM Top Tracks, RTR FM Sound Selection, Aussie Music Weekly, Triple J Unearthed, Double J, and more, this release celebrates GuriNgai Mob’s stories, history, and connection to Country and Charlie’s journey, amongst her bed of luscious loops and harmonies. Selected as the winner of the Upstart Award 2022, Charlie is also taking her immersive and dynamic live show on the road with dates across the country.

Charlie Needs Braces’ debut album Saltwater People is rich with punchy brass basslines and driving percussion, her layered harmonies and familiar trumpet melodies. Like a river, the history of the GuriNgai people run through all the tracks on this release; the language, the totems, the instruments, and more, opening with welcome song Alla Indore and closing with Pride – a testament to Charlie’s grandmother’s trauma and hardship through the colonisation in Australia.

Having always played on other people’s albums and in bands for years, Charlie has always wanted to make her own album. “I wanted to celebrate my Aboriginal background, and involve language, tell stories about my mobs culture and traditions in the lyrics and mood of the songs. I also got braces in 2020 and thought it’d be funny to call it ‘Charlie Needs Braces’ and record my teeth movement as they changed and evolved into shape. I feel like the album and my teeth’s journey started at the same time and developed and evolved together, and funnily enough, I finished the album at the same time as I got my braces and plastic plates off.”

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