Charlotte Rose Benjamin: From "Dreamtina" to "Moth Mouth
Charlotte Rose Benjamin
Charlotte Rose Benjamin
As stagehands packed away the drums and lights at Forty5's newest venue, which has been hosting events since last July, we had the opportunity to sit down with Charlotte Rose Benjamin. The New York-based singer-songwriter, known for her insightful lyrics and indie-rock soundscapes, has been building a dedicated following since her 2022 debut, 'Dreamtina.' Her critical acclaim has led to tours across the country. Before her performance, I was struck by her earlier track, 'Hayden Panettiere,' which evoked a strong sense of nostalgic imagery. Benjamin, who moved from Martha's Vineyard to Brooklyn in 2016, represents a compelling voice among emerging artists.
"Opening for Sarah Kingsley is oh my god, so much," Benjamin had enthusiastically shared earlier as we sat and talked about her journey as an artist. The connection runs deeper than a shared tour bill; they are neighbors in New York, and the familial ties extend to their bands. "Zach Coe, the drummer for Sarah, is dating my best friend Zoe who plays bass in my band. So this is the only way to have done really that it feels like a big family and lots of friends," she explained, her excitement palpable about playing larger venues and exploring new cities.
Reflecting on her musical origins, Benjamin recalled a childhood steeped in melody. "I've always really liked to sing ever since I was so little," she said. Her father, a musician on Martha's Vineyard, was a significant early influence. "I think I probably just like grew up watching him play out all the time, and that made me feel emboldened to have the confidence to do it myself." The move to New York City in 2016 provided the crucial catalyst. "I just started playing as many shows as I could, and then I kind of built from there."
The conversation turned to the narratives woven into her songs. "Well, if they listen to Dream Tina, it's just kind of like fun, girly, indie rock pop about like dating in New York City," Benjamin explained, describing the album as "very like sassy and cute," written during her early twenties. However, her upcoming album, "Moth Mouth," signals a shift in tone. "Mothmouth goes a little darker, and it's more about finding your voice," she revealed.
The title itself holds a profound meaning, stemming from an encounter with a Luna moth. "My dad like found this moth...and like captured it in a mason jar two summers ago, and then we googled it, and we learned that moths don't have mouths," Benjamin recounted. The moth's life cycle, a period of intense consumption as a caterpillar followed by a brief, mouthless winged existence solely for procreation, struck her deeply. "I just like was in a weird place I guess at the time, and I was like that's the female experience. Like it's like you just like are voiceless, and you just like have to like mate while you can, and then you die. It's very dramatic obviously," she acknowledged. Beyond this stark metaphor, she also connected with the moth's image as an "outsider kind of like drawn to the light but nocturnal," appreciating that inherent "juxtaposition."
Charlotte Rose Benjamin
When asked about formative cultural influences, Benjamin highlighted the impact of female songwriters who embraced unflinching honesty. "Something that was really formative to me was like learning about like the Judas Spector when I was in middle school," she recalled, followed by the later discovery of artists like Fiona Apple, Joni Mitchell, and Liz Phair. "There's a lot of like female songwriters that taught me that you can be totally honest in your music and still be like respected and cool, and that was so empowering to me to like learn that."
As the post-show atmosphere in Turntable softened, and the entire room almost empty, the conversation painted a picture of Charlotte Rose Benjamin as an artist whose work is deeply informed by personal experience, literary symbolism, and a connection to a lineage of bold female voices. Her journey from island quiet to indie stages is marked by a clear artistic evolution, hinting at the deeper explorations to come to those who listen to "Moth Mouth."
Charlotte Rose Benjamin
Charlotte Rose Benjamin
Charlotte Rose Benjamin
