If you need some lush, comforting music for these upcoming balmy summer days, Charlie Lim might just be your guy. The Singaporean singer-songwriter is the epitome of a pensive artist, and with his brand new record, Daydream, on the horizon later this 2026, we catch up with him before a concert in London.
His newest release, “Nobody’s Home” is a heartbreaking ballad that soars over a muted electronic cushion that comforts the ear just as much as it beautifully compliments the melancholia the lyrics convey. Such thoughtful lyricism is a hallmark of his work, all the way from 2015 release TIME/SPACE to his most recent record, 2018’s CHECK-HOOK.
“I guess the style of music that I make is very influenced by a lot of Western pop artists that I grew up listening to: a lot of singer-songwriters,” he muses. “But also a lot of neo-soul and R&B and electronic music as well.”
Singaporean pop (S-Pop) itself takes up an interesting place in global pop scene, drawing from the melting pot of influences that define the nation itself. Charlie himself is just as indicative of that, with his experiences in Melbourne, Australia, from the age of 14 providing him with a valuable training ground through which he was embolded to pursue music further.
“I was exposed [to] and given a lot more opportunities to perform, and I did well in school, I could do music performance as a subject,” he recounts. “And when I was a teenager, I couldn’t do that in Singapore. I think times have changed now; there are a lot more platforms and opportunities.”
The richness of his life experience collides with his perceptions of the artists he admires, from Jeff Buckley to Nina Simone, Joni Mitchell, D’Angelo and Erykah Badu. From that young kid discovering music was a possible path for him all those years ago, he’s involved into an artist where the process behind every song is different, his creativity tapped in deeply to the myriad of curveballs that life has thrown his way, as opposed to whatever the market says he has to be.
An true artist for the times, we think.
My Starting Point:
The music you should check out to get to know Charlie Lim, as recommended by the artist himself:
1) “Nobody’s Home”
It’s off my new record, Daydream, which is coming out later this year. I think that that one’s probably the most raw and earnest song and most vulnerable song I think that I’ve written. It just kind of poured out of me.
I was going through quite a difficult period in my life and I was just working on it with a friend, we were out in Devon actually, in a cottage and we were just kind of jamming. He was messing around with some orchestral samples and I was just on the piano and the song just poured out.
And I just had a good cry after, collapsed on the couch. His mom came over to call us for dinner and she had a listen to the song and she broke down as well. So, sorry Auntie! But yeah, that’s a song that’s quite tender and melancholic and means a lot to me, even though it is very heavy.
2) “Made Up Your Mind” off Starting Line
I also released an EP with a dear friend of mine, their name is Sarah Su. They’re actually from Melbourne, Australia, but I met them here in London. They’re an amazing singer-songwriter and producer as well. And we did an EP together and it’s very UK garage-influenced. I’ll recommend that whole EP!
Five Desert Island Essentials:
1) Wi-Fi and the Internet
I don’t know if I can live without just contacting my loved ones. So I think that that would be essential.
2) Voodoo by D’Angelo
If [we’re including] a desert island record, Voodoo. I always come back to it and you learn something new each time.
3) Sushi
Food? I don’t really know what my favourite type of food is, but probably that.
4) & 5) A piano and a guitar
A nice upright piano with felt would be great. I think I’ll be quite happy with [all] that. [I’d] just entertain myself and feed myself.
“Nobody Home” is out now. Charlie Lim can be found on Instagram here and on all streaming platforms.