Charlotte Day Wilson

In her hometown of Toronto, a place with no shortage of game-changing R&B talents, Charlotte Day Wilson has been a singular creative force. A singer-songwriter who records and produces her own work with a tenacious yet flexible vision, Day Wilson’s solo career exploded in 2016 behind her moody debut EP CDW and its centerpiece single “Work,” a plaintive gospel-tinged ballad that became an unofficial anthem of the Women’s March. The Stone Woman EP followed in 2018, and saw Day Wilson take stock of herself, her relationships, and her place in the world with both range and unimpeachable, traditional soul vocals. Wilson’s debut album Alpha, released last week, is her most varied statement to date. Like Stone Woman, Alpha is inspired by a breakup, but the project reveals more about Day Wilson — as a person and a songwriter — than ever before. With collaborations with Daniel Caesar, BADBADNOTGOOD, and Syd of The Internet, <i>Alpha</i> is not so much an announcement of a prodigious new talent as a confirmation of one. Days after Alpha’s release, The FADER’s Jordan Darville spoke with Day Wilson about learning new skills, navigating the music industry on her own terms, and two very key, very different influences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices