Sadness is something that permeates ‘Nervous At Night’. It haunts it like a ghost; an outsider looking in at the party. On an album that traces Charlie’s journey of growing up in the suburbs of Pasadena, sadness shifts gears more than any other emotion.

Sadness for singer-songwriters is often seen as the million-dollar moment, but for Charlie, it’s a line he’s trying not to get stuck into completely. Whilst his idols have built themselves on being fundamentally sad, he doesn’t want to be so easily pigeonholed.

There’s plenty of pain folded into the mix of ‘Nervous At Night’, but it’s not the only ingredient. There’s the anxiety of falling for someone new, the joy of late-night drives and lost weekends, and the joy of heart-to-hearts with loved ones. In many ways, it’s a profoundly personal display of something utterly universal: growing up.

In a world where pop stars promote the glitz and glamour of fairytale lifestyles, Charlie is going against the grain. ‘Nervous At Night’ is an album about everyday life, written by a normal person. It exists to show that it’s not all sunshine and roses, but it’s not all sadness either.

These existential thoughts play out on ‘Nervous At Night’ like mini monologues. Opener ‘Dandelions’ is the album’s theme song, whilst its title track caps everything off. And it’s all a reflection of the anxiety that Charlie struggles with on a daily basis.

“One of my really good friends was describing to me that she had a friend claiming she had something called Nervous At Night syndrome, which is exactly what it sounds like, and I thought that was funny.

Throughout his life, Charlie has been led by the lives of those around him. Whether it’s through watching videos of his touring musician parents, through the tutelage of long-term producer Marshall Vore, or by watching Bridger’s rise to stardom, he’s often felt like he’s been kept under their wings. But as ‘Nervous At Night’ enters the world, it’s his time to turn on a light for others in their darkest moments. It’s a role he’s more than willing to play.

“I just hope that they see some of themselves in it and that I can help them feel seen and supported in all the contradictions of life. To feel like they’re validated in struggling, but also that there’s tonnes of hope and beauty to be found.” ■

Taken from the June 2022 edition of Dork, out now. Charlie Hickey’s debut album ‘Nervous At Night’ is out now.