Charlotte Grayson shares new single “Low Standards”

Coming out of the northeast town of Hartlepool, Charlotte Grayson has been making an impact in the UK’s indie scene for the past five years. A singer-songwriter with a knack for heartfelt storytelling and genre-blurring sound, she first caught the public’s attention back in 2018 when her debut single “Maybe” was selected as a BBC Introducing Track of the Week.

That early spotlight led to multiple live sessions with the BBC and a performance at Middlesbrough Town Hall’s Summer Session Live series, marking her out as an artist to watch from the outset. Since then, Charlotte’s output has been consistently impressive, bringing together her love for acoustic storytelling through a changing soundscape that’s spanned everything from Americana to indie pop and rock. Across a string of well-received singles and two full-length albums, she’s built a catalogue that shows both range and emotional honesty, backed by a talent for melodic writing that sticks with you.

Following the release and tour of her sophomore album, Charlotte found herself at a creative pause. Her backing band, The Shame Areas, had disbanded and instead of immediately rushing into the next project, she returned to the stripped-down origins of her sound; just her voice and guitar. In doing so, she reconnected with the simplicity that had drawn her to songwriting in the first place, undergoing a recalibration that proved vital, not just as a personal reset but as a spark for the next stage of her career.

The result of that new chapter was felt earlier this year with the punchy single “Get Outta My Yard,” a track that signalled Charlotte’s creative gears were once again turning. Now, she follows it up with her latest release, “Low Standards,” a tune that’s not only sharp and compelling, but also came together in a spontaneous fashion. When a last-minute cancellation left a gap in the studio, Charlotte turned to Millie Jones from the band Crescent, whose set she and her collaborator Edwin had seen just a week prior. Struck by Millie’s vocals, they reached out and fortunately, she was game to lend her voice. Millie’s backing vocals add warmth to the track, transforming what could have been a problem into a perfect moment of musical creation.

Once again linking up with long-time collaborator Mark Aubrey to produce the track, Charlotte serve up a bright pop-focused indie rock outing full of lively rhythms, instantly memorable melodic hooks and jangly guitar flourishes. Opened by warm acoustic guitar rhythms and intricate lead notes, the shuffling patter of drums ushers in Charlotte’s gripping vocal performance carrying tongue-in-cheek lyricism that frames her struggles with past romantic partners.

Building with the charge of gritty guitar chords and striking drums, the chorus swells to an engrossing bust of infectious pop rock music, resulting in a spectacular jam that’s fiercely catchy and invigorating. As she continues to go from strength to strength on her return as a solo artist, 2025 is shaping up to be a thrilling year for Charlotte Grayson and we can’t wait to see what she’s got in store next.

Commenting on the single, she offers, “Low Standards is about my terrible taste in men. On the plus side I wouldn’t have released any albums without them, so you know, it’s not all a waste…”

Listen to Low Standards below

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