While on tour in America, Hozier's best backup singer gets incredibly sick and can't sing anymore. She suggests her only cousin in the states, Charlotte Walsh. Charlie has the voice of a siren and the beauty to match. Andrew can't understand why she...
A notification pinged in the nearly empty room. Charlie turned around on her thrifted ottoman to face her laptop. An email from Ann Marie?What could she want? The subject read "Want a great job?" "Of course," she mumbled to herself. She opened it and began reading.
So you know how I'm on tour, right? Well, you can't be a backup singer with chronic vocal nodules. But, Charlotte, I recommended you for the job and you have it, if you want! Respond ASAP please.
"Yesyesyesyesyes!" Charlie had been looking for a job for months, and her current choir gig was nothing but a slot filled on her resume. She immediately called her chorus leader. "I have a new job, so I can't sing anymore. Sorry," she started off strong, but trailed off as she realized how ridiculous she was being. There was silence from the other end. "If you want to, you should leave. In all honesty, you were never a good fit for us, Charlotte." Now it was Charlie's turn to be speechless. "Okay...great then. Bye," "Bye Charlotte." The curt man replied quickly. He hung up immediately and Charlie was left with her phone almost slipping from her hand and a whole new grip on insecurity. If a community choir, non-audition no less, didn't like her, what should a famous artist want with her? She called Ann Marie after she gathered the courage to make such a mistake. "I don't want the job." "Charlotte, the hell? You are who he wants, and you only have that crappy choir, right?" "I actually quit." "Then take this job!" Her angry Irish voice scolded her into meekly accepting. "Fine, I guess. Should I fly out? What do I need to pack? Oh no, what if-" "We're already in New York for a Spotify recording in like 3 hours. How about after, we can all discuss what you need?" "Sounds good. See you in a while." Ann Marie sent her directions to the sound stage where they were recording and Charlie decided to get dressed in proper people clothes.
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The subway was was not ideal, but the taxis kept ignoring her. Her shift dress fluttered around her knees. She toyed with the pendant hanging from her neck, revelling in the mindlessness of the action. Her nerves were getting the best of her. At least it's not in front of Ann or who's she's touring with. Who was she with, anyway? What if Charlie hated them? Then she wouldn't have any sort of job, or self-respect. She called Ann Marie to set the record straight. "Who is it that I have a new job with?" "Well," Her voice had a slight metallic tone through the phone. "Wouldn't you rather just meet them?" They repeated this rhetoric for 3 full minutes in all its variational glory. "No, I'd want to know who they are, dammit!" Charlie finally broke. Even the oddest people on the subway gave her a glass-cutting glare. "You can meet them in twenty minutes, so just wait. You do like R&B, right?" "Yeah, but I sing it better than I truly like it. Fine, I'll wait. They better be worth it." "Oh, I think they will be. Bye!" Charlie was so excited to finally meet who she was going to spend the next 3 or so months with. She entered the sound stage and was immediately assaulted by Ann Marie's sneaking hug. "Charlie! I missed you so much! How are you! "Annie! I'm good. How's your throat?" Charlie asked soberly, suddenly remembering the reason she was here in the first place. "Fine, fine, I can talk and stuff, but nothing like the stress of singing if I want to keep speaking." Ann Marie looked morose, and Charlie hugged her tighter. Some technician found them, and after Ann Marie's introduction of Charlotte, they were seated at the front of the stage. On the stage was a lone black stool and microphone on its stand. There were only a few simple lights, not even colored, that washed the black curtain upstage. Being a former theatre technician herself, she noticed details like that all the time. "Are you excited?" Ann Marie nudged her elbow into the soft flesh of Charlie's arm roughly. "Yeah, I suppose. I'm a bit nervous, though." "Don't be, I'm sure you'll get on great. There he is now! Hey Andrew!" Ann Marie waved crazily at some tall guy with long hair. "Is that- is that Hozier?" Charlie asked, a bit dazed. "How could you not tell me?" He took a few long strides towards them. "Hullo, Ann Marie, is this who you told me about?" The former singer nodded and stepped to the side so they could get better acquainted. He held out one of his large hands to Charlie. "Yeah, I'm Charlotte, you can call me Charlie, if you want to, you don't have to if you don't want, I mean - hi." She shook his hand limply in embarrassment and took it away sheepishly. He chuckled, and it was like the planets had aligned just for that singular spectacular sound to be created. She laughed too, much less nervous. "Hi, Charlie, I'm Andrew, how are you feeling today?" He asked in a lilty voice that was far too adorable for his own good. "Great, happy to be working with you for sure. And you?" "The very same. I do have a favor to ask of you, though." Charlie immediately readied herself to listen. "I was really wanting to perform 'In a Week' today, but Karen wasn't available, and neither was Alana, so could you sing the higher part? It would also be a good way to see if we fit together. What do you think?" He had rambled a bit, but Charlie payed total attention. "Absolutely!" She replied enthusiastically. "Sounds great, sorry. I'm still in disbelief, to be honest." He laughed modestly, and Charlie smiled wider. "It's the fourth and last song. That alright?" "Yeah, that's great." Both of them didn't really do much but take each other in until Ann Marie pointed out that people were coming in. "Break a leg!" Charlie said out of habit and Andrew nodded kindly. She sat in her seat, much more jittery than she was before.
"Hi, I'm Hozier. This is 'Sedated'. It's one of the middle songs on the album, yeah." He began singing into the mic. Charlie mouthed the words along with as he stared at the neck of his guitar. The chords were perfect. At the end, Andrew's eye was caught by her mumbling along and he smiled at her. Everyone applauded, and she started a standing ovation. "Now, the second song I'll be playing is "It Will Come Back", I haven't done this one live so much." "It's like he knew my favorites," Charlie whispered to Ann Marie. "He did. I told him that those were your favorites off the album and that you really liked 'Arsonist's Lullaby' too." Charlie was shocked with gratitude. She loved watching him sing. She could see how the music coursed through him and it was admirable how into his career he was. His eyes squeezed tightly as he sang the high notes making her grin widen. "Now, my third, 'Arsonist's Lullaby' for the night. You may have heard this on 'The Walking Dead', a program I enjoy quite a bit. Thank you, thank you," He thanked the audience sweetly. Charlie let herself get lost in the lyrics. She could hear the darkest side of his soul, it seemed, through the music. He finished low and strong, almost making her forget what she had to do in about twenty seconds. "And my final song if the evening, 'In a Week' with my new singer Charlotte Walsh." She situated herself on the significantly smaller stool and nodded to him. He started the sweet beginning beat and somehow made it much darker, just like the recorded version. He began singing and Charlie almost didn't remember to not make a fool of herself while she was up there.
I have never known peace Like the damp grass that yields to me I have never known hunger Like these insects that feast on me
A thousand teeth And yours among them, I know Our hungers appeased Our heartbeats becoming slow
It was time for the two of them to start singing together.
We lay here for years or for hours Thrown here or found To freeze or to thaw So long we become the flowers Two corpses we were Two corpses I saw
And they'd find us in a week When the weather gets hot After the insects have made their claim I'd be home with you I'd be home with you
Charlie was shocked at how great they sounded together. Their voices worked like Johnny Cash and June Carter. It was time for her big solo.
I have never known sleep Like the slumber that creeps to me I have never known color Like this morning reveals to me
And you haven't moved an inch Such that I would not know If you sleep always like this The flesh calmly going cold
A few lone cheers from the crowd was enough to make her want to stay. They began the part that sounded like rounds.
We lay here for years or for hours Your hand in my hand So still and discreet So long we become the flowers We'd feed well the land And worry the sheep
And they'd find us in a week When the cattle show fear After the insects have made their claim After the foxes have known our taste I'd be home with you I'd be home with you
They'd find us in a week (Lay here for years or for hours) When the weather gets hot (So long we become the flowers) They'd find us in a week (Lay here for years or for hours) When the cattle shows fear (So long we become the flowers)
And they'd find us in a week When the buzzards get loud After the insects have made their claim After the foxes have known our taste After the raven has had its say
I'd be home with you I'd be home with you I'd be home with you I'd be home with you I'd be home with you I'd be home with you
A few final strums from Andrew and a quiet thank you ended the set. "That was fantastic, I think." He finally spoke up, breaking the noise. "It really was. I'm so grateful for this opportunity, Andrew." "You don't have to be so polite, y'know." Charlie just shrugged as they became fast friends.
