Charlie Burg - Finding Home One Song at a Time
Brooklyn-based Charlie Burg, is a singer-songwriter known for his emotive tone in his music and fun music videos! Constantly pushing himself to do and be better, Charlie’s palette of impeccable work extends to his social work. He passionately advocates for abortion rights in partnership with KeepOurClinics, and has worked with City Harvest to help combat food insecurity in New York City. Let Jejune Magazine help you get to know more about Charlie Burg, his deep yet relatable music, and more.
Where are you based?
Brooklyn, New York!
What inspired you to be a musician?
I never really chose to be a musician, I just never thought about doing anything else!
We see that your new LP, Infinitely Tall, just released, congrats! Can you tell us the story behind this album?
Thank you! The concept behind the album has to do with spaces and the feeling of home. It’s divided into three chapters, each containing five songs, and moves through life (childhood, college) until eventually we end in the city where adulthood faces the protagonist face to face.
Can you walk us through your songwriting & production process?
Most of my songs begin as a short chordal and lyrical idea, maybe three or four chords associated with a six or seven word phrase. From there I start tinkering in my production software Ableton and see how I can bring the body of the song to life.
Infinitely Tall is filled with songs that are so personal to you! Is there any particular song that was challenging to write?
The title track was absolutely a challenge. I wanted it to feel widescreen and soaring, and somehow capture a glimpse of the heaviness and ambition I felt throughout the entire album creation process. It contains sound bytes of beloved people in my life, and I didn’t spare any idea or urge while making it.
We know that your writing is expansive and brimming with emotion. How would you describe this LP to first time listeners? Is there a particular song(s) that stays close to your heart even when you perform live?
I might describe it as sprawling, sporadic, playful; yet warm and yearning. There’s a constant hunger for more, greater, higher. A song that will always be close to my heart is 97 Avalon. I think it may be my most proud work to date.
What made you decide to focus on your different homes through your life?
When I left college and my family moved out of my childhood home, I started to question what home and comfort really meant. I was excited for the future, but burdened with a heavy sense of curiosity about what could have been.
Dancing Through The Mental Breakdown is very relatable these days, especially in NYC. What inspired this song? Are you and your friends planning on staying in NYC after this song?
I wrote that song after feeling angry and jaded at poser culture on social media, until I realized that I was indeed complacent in that culture and in many ways a poser myself. The NYC references just had to do with specific encounters with people in a social setting. Yes, we’re staying in NYC.
In addition to being an amazing musician you are very passionate about humanitarian work. We love that you worked with City Harvest to combat food insecurity in New York City during the brinks of the pandemic. Can you tell us more about it? What inspired you to get involved with this organization? Do you still work with City Harvest?
The pandemic was huge for me in recognizing that I have a platform where people will really listen and take action if I encourage them. My words held more potential influence than I realized. I was very honored to work with City Harvest and engage with the community that I was (and am) a part of in New York City. We chose to do something with them because we felt that they were an organization that was making legitimate change on the ground, and making more immediate gains in aiding the recovery of the community. I haven’t collaborated with them since April 2020, but I’d love to do something else with them in the near future.
You have also worked with Intersectional Environmentalist to help launch their new show Earth Sessions. Can you tell us a bit about this show and why you decided to get involved? Has taking action against climate injustices always been close to your heart?
I’ll forever be grateful that Leah and Intersectional Environmentalist allowed me to partake in their first ever Earth Sessions! We collaborated back in September 2020 on a shirt design for a single I put out. The motivation behind that came from a desire to engage with organizations directly addressing the sociocultural impacts of climate change, because in my belief that should be at the forefront of social justice conversation. The show was so much fun, and even cooler because I got to do it with my good friend Maiya Blaney. Yes, I’ve held my love and appreciation for the health of the earth close to my heart since young adulthood, and it seemed like the most honest route for me to take in creating real change through my music.
In what ways would you like to see people try harder to take care of our planet?
It comes down to taking it personally. Realizing that your actions make a ripple effect far more than you think. Taking accountability for your own habits, and going out of the way in small ways to change.
We also hear that you recently packed out a sweaty basement in a pizza parlour in Little Italy with a few hundred kids to raise $1k for reproductive justice on only 2 days notice. Can you tell us a bit about this experience?
Yes this happened! This was a riot! I wanted to create a fun space for people to get involved in standing up for reproductive rights, and what better way to connect people than through music. 100% of the proceeds went to KeepOurClinics. It was a day of fighting for justice in the wake of Roe v Wade being struck down, and rock n roll.
Why do you think it is important for men to join the reproductive justice fight? How would you like to see more men be allies?
Men have grossly disproportionate privilege in this world, and people who identify as men need to use that privilege to speak out and make change, and amplify the voices that are historically repressed. More men can be allies by addressing their own insecurities as a male, accepting their privilege, and unabashedly standing with women.
What is your motto in life?
The wrong choice is better than no choice!
It has been a rough few years, how have you been staying positive during these times?
Reading, decorating my living room, visiting family at home as much as I can!
To know more about Charlie Burg and his interests, please follow:
The Eyes & Ears Agency
Future Earth Foundation
