Charlie Hole talks to Pressparty about his new EP and his creative influences

22-year-old singer-songwriter Charlie Hole has just released a new 5-track EP, entitled ‘Dirty Little Secret,' and we sat down with him recently to talk about his musical journey so far.

He has received high praise from the likes of Rod Stewart and three-time Ivor Novello award winning song-writer Andy Hill, and has also now released a music video for the EP's title track which can be seen below.

What first triggered your passion for music? When did you know you wanted to be a musician?

My parents took me to the Isle of Wight Festival when I was 11 years old and I got to see The Who and David Bowie. It changed my life, I’d never really been into music before.

You started writing songs at just 11-years-old - how have you developed your skills over the years? What has been the most useful lesson? And most useful piece of advice?

I think I’ve learnt not to force it. Sometimes I’ll go through a phase of writing loads of songs all at once and it flows really naturally. Other times it seems like I’ll never write again. I think I’ve learnt that that’s normal and it’s ok to just put the guitar down and do something else.

What was it like to receive such fantastic praise from Rod Stewart, who described one of your tracks as “beautiful”? What effect did that have on you, if any?

It was completely surreal, I couldn’t quite believe it was coming from a voice I knew so well. It definitely gave me confidence to carry on writing and playing. He didn't have to do it so it was very nice of him.

What would say inspires you? Any particular mediums (film, books or art) or themes that influence your writing?

I’d say all of those things inspire me from time to time, I’ve definitely been watching a film or reading a book and felt the need to go and write. Sometimes the song ends up nothing like what inspired you, it’s strange how it works. I definitely write more when I’m reading more.

What are you listening to at the moment? (And reading and watching!)

I have this little list of the top 100 books of all time so I’m trying to work my way through that. I’ve been listening a lot to The Lake Poets and I’ve always been a fan of Karima Francis.

Let’s talk about your new EP, ‘Dirty Little Secret’. We’ve read that you’re interested in the political whistleblowing of late. What are these songs about and why did you choose to release them on this particular EP?

I’ve tried to make a varied EP, and I just talk about things that interest me. There’s a song called ‘The Chapel of Unrest’ which is about the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church but there’s also songs about love and rejection and human emotions. I think it’s important to talk about everything.

What’s your creative process like? Do you have a certain method for working or can you just sit down anywhere and write lyrics/music?

I usually try to find a quiet place to write, I find it hard to write when I know other people are listening, even if it’s just a window being open or something like that, so I try and lock my self away a bit.

Watch his music video for 'Dirty Little Secret' below: