For Charlie Hickey, writing music is more than just a passion; It’s a way to cope. The 21-year-old songwriter makes music to manage his anxiety and OCD, particularly as he navigates the bewildering and uncertain transition from teenage years to adulthood. As the child of two musicians, Hickey grew up with an interest and appreciation for music from a young age. Eventually, he learned to lean on his transfixing, twang-infused voice to give a refreshing account of relatable growing pains through a soft rock lens.
Hickey translates youthful mishaps and ruminations into dazzling, acoustic-led ballads on his debut album, Nervous At Night. The LP is a collection of 11 warm-toned, introspective tracks that offer hazy vignettes of the singer’s life. To celebrate the release of Nervous At Night, Hickey sat down with Uproxx to talk his love of Elliot Smith, The National, and the kindness of Midwestern parents in our latest Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
Melancholy, Neurotic, Optimistic, Searching
It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
I guess I would just like it to be remembered at all. I think the greatest marker of true success in an artist is how long their music sticks with people. All my favorite artists have careers that have spanned many different eras and musical trends and that’s my ultimate goal for my music.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?
I loved playing in Montreal! I don’t even know why. The vibes were just great. Just something I can’t describe.
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
Probably Elliot Smith. He was my first favorite artist and the first time I heard that type of vulnerability in music and I knew that that was what I aspired to.
Where did you eat the best meal of your life?
Fiore in South Pasadena. Roast chicken sandwich. Go if you ever get the chance.
What album do you know every word to?
Definitely Cardinal by Pinegrove. Also, Saves The World by MUNA.
What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?
I saw an artist called Jesca Hoop play at the Highland Park Ebell. I’m a huge fan of her. It was just such a transcendent live show. It was just her and two other backup vocalists who played really minimal percussion. Perfect in every way.
What is the best outfit for performing and why?
Lately, I’ve been loving a white tank top under a blazer. Sexy and classy.
Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?
Steven Phillips Horst. He’s one of the co-hosts of my favorite podcast, Celebrity Book Club. Each episode is dedicated to a different celebrity memoir. Both him and his co-host Lily Marotta are hilarious and observant of culture in a really profound way.
What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?
“Mistaken For Strangers” by The National. I’ve had the opportunity to obsessively dive into the catalogue of artists I’ve always loved and I’ve done that with The National. One of the great bands of all time and this song is my current favorite.
What album makes for the perfect gift?
Maybe Boxer by The National. I got that album on vinyl for Phoebe Bridgers for her 20th birthday.
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
Honestly never crashed anywhere super weird. I’ve crashed with a lot of friends’ parents, which is the way to go, especially if they are Midwestern parents! They will want to make you food so badly.
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
I haven’t gotten a tattoo but me and my sister have the same birthday but three years apart. We’ve talked about both getting our birthday tattooed.
What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?
If Sam Hunt comes on a country radio station, I’m not changing that.
What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
I had a family friend growing up named Joe Henry, an incredible songwriter and producer and one of my earliest heroes. When I was like 15, he brought me up to sing his song “Trampoline” with him at his show at Largo. It was a very formative moment for me and I owe a lot to him!
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
Honestly, just to not worry so much about everything because things change so fast in a way that is so hard to grasp when you are that young and it feels like they never will. Just that none of this will matter in a year. Also, don’t vape!
What’s the last show you went to?
I’ve seen Wolf Alice play every night for the last month or so on tour. They are beyond incredible live. Feels like being at a rock show 20 years ago in the best way possible while also feeling so hip and current. Can’t say enough about how great those guys are. They are rockstars in the truest sense of the word.
What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?
Maybe Knocked Up or Bridesmaids. Kinda random — both movies I loved as a kid when all I wanted was to see R-rated movies. They make me feel very nostalgic.
What’s one of your hidden talents?
I’m sort of good at doing push-ups.
Nervous At Night is out now via Saddest Factory Records. Get it here.