Photo: Wolfson
Charlie Belle is an Austin based sister-brother pop band comprised of songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist, Jendayi Bonds and drummer, vocalist, Gyasi Bonds. They made a splash in early 2015 with the breezy debut EP, Get To Know, which recalled the British "alterna-pop" sounds of the 90's. A succinct and memorable handful of songs that reflected Jendayi's mature-beyond-her-years songwriting, Get To Know had major press outlets proclaiming that Charlie Belle was "armed with the most infectious kind of power-pop" (Wired), dubbing the group "the coolest and youngest band you need to know," (Nylon), and reminding that Charlie Belle would be one of the "musicians you'll tell your friends about in 2015" (NPR Music).
The second EP, I Don't Want To Be Alone, released in late 2015, this time with the band accompanied by studio vet David Andersen on bass, which showcased a maturing take on the Brit-flavored pop sound that Jendayi is influenced by, but with more of an R&B overtone.“It’s pretty R&B inspired,” she says, “I’ve really been feeling the groove and trying to figure out a way to put that into Charlie Belle without taking away from who we are.” The groove Jendayi is feeling hits home on the EP’s title track, premiered by NPR, which also featured the band at the end of 2015 with a piece that aired nationally on its “Weekend Edition” program.
Charlie Belle has become a must-see band and has graced legendary Austin stages like The Cactus Café, Antone's, The Paramount, The Moody Theater, and The Whip In, local festivals Ditch The Fest, Art Outside, and RAS Day, the nationally recognized Austin City Limits Music Festival and South by Southwest since 2009.
The Austin Chronicle named Jendayi the "It Girl" in it's annual Best of Austin issue, summing up their coverage, "Yup, she rocks." We think you'll agree.
Label: Fanatic Records
Management & PR: Fanatic Promotion, Josh Bloom, josh@fanaticpromotion.com
Booking: High Road Touring, Frank Riley, frank@highroadtouring.com
Say "hi" to the band: info@charliebellemusic.com
Recent Press Release