Our 2025 was made all the more better by the return of Charlotte OC, who with soulful yearner “God, We Tried” dolled up our New Sounds column (March), midway look-back Half Year in ReView (July), and grand finale Year in ReView (December). Now the English artist heralds one of our favorite points of the calendar with new single “Start of the Summer,” a reflective and warm alt-pop bop that would be an instant chart-topper if the world still had taste in music.
And that is also arrives on the edge of Father’s Day here in the states is some inspired planning, juxtaposing its sunny demeanor and positive glow with a bittersweet meditation on grief and memory. Because sometimes we’re forced to embrace what’s next without the ones who helped shape our path to the present moment.
“This song is about the ever-present longing I have for my father,” Charlotte says. “He absolutely loved being in the sun and being as tanned as humanly possible. Whenever I picture him, he’s in the garden, covered in factor 15, with a glass of whiskey by his feet and a border collie by his side.”
She adds: “I wanted the song to carry a sense of optimism, because that’s how he always was when summer was around the corner, knowing that tan would soon be his again. It felt important to hold onto that lightness alongside everything else. It’s about not knowing what to do with all the love you still have for someone. Not knowing how to handle grief, and finding yourself replaying conversations that will forever feel unfinished.”
Take it with you below, for the start of any season arriving without the ones we love.