Satellite (out March 6)
Cold open: Salem, witches, and the coven fantasy
Narcissist: Where are you from originally?
Charlotte Sands: Boston
Narcissist: I love Boston. My mom took me to Salem for Halloween when I was little, and the first time I went I genuinely thought the witches were real—I was terrified. Now? I’m the witch.
Charlotte Sands: I mean, now I know that’s like a part of getting older as a woman is being scared of witches and then realizing that you kind of just actually want to be a witch. That’s kind of my dream now. Like, to live in a coven with all other women.
Narcissist: Oh, really? I’ve also been trying to get a coven together.
Charlotte Sands: I know. Girl, that’s the next project—after this album.
Narcissist: The mahatriracy is rising.
Charlotte Sands: Exactly.
Who Charlotte is “soul deep”
Narcissist: Okay, so who is Charlotte Sands’ soul deep when nobody’s watching?
Charlotte Sands: Whoa, great question. I think I would say I’m a very naturally optimistic person. I’m naturally very grateful to be very happy in my life and in my existence. I feel like life is such a privilege and getting to experience the highs and lows and all of it is such an amazing experience. And yeah, I would say that my purpose on this earth is to bring people together and create community and introduce people to the person who could potentially change their life for the better and influence them positively. And I think that is the core of who I am.
Narcissist: If someone only knew you from your music, what would they totally get wrong about you?
Charlotte Sands: I think my music is pretty well rounded around who I am. I try very hard to make sure it’s a full circle reflection of me at my best and my worst. I didn’t have the forethought to have an artist name, so I was like, I’m going to tie everything to me directly all the time. So I think most of my music is a capsule of me as a human.
Maybe sometimes you’d think I have it figured out. And I’m like, no—I wrote that song as a manifestation to convince myself to figure it out. A lot of times my songs are ways for me to become the person I want to be, not necessarily being that person already.
Manifestation, words as spells, and “witchy elements”
Narcissist: Yeah, that’s like how manifestation works. Do you agree that words or spells—words are powerful? ((It’s called spelling for a reason)
Charlotte Sands: Yeah, absolutely. What you say about yourself and about other people and what you say about your life is you talking it into existence. If I woke up and was like, I’m gonna have a really bad day, then I will have a really bad day.
There’s so much science behind whatever words you’re using consistently—whatever things you’re telling your brain, your brain is looking for those opportunities subconsciously. If you’re like, I’m gonna do this, and I’m gonna do it well, and I’m gonna be successful—your brain starts working as if that’s the goal instead of hyper focusing on the negative things you’re holding.
I feel like I have a direct line to the universe a lot of the time. I always find a way to land on my feet and come back to myself. That’s manifestation, but also self trust and self possession and really getting to know yourself.
Narcissist: Do you think we’re all like witches and wizards? That’s why words mean more than we think they do?
Charlotte Sands: I believe in spiritual things. I believe in the energy of the universe. Whatever you put out, you will receive. However you treat people—maybe not the same amounts at the same time, but at some point it evens out. Life evens the scales.
I think the way you talk about yourself and the way you talk about other people and the way you talk about your life is really important. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were witchy elements—stars and moon and all of it. And I won’t talk anybody out of their way of making their life better. If you believe in something that genuinely makes you a better person and kinder to people and makes you enjoy your life more, I’m never going to try and convince you that’s not the thing to do.
What fame doesn’t get to touch
Narcissist: What’s something you’re still protective of—something fame doesn’t get to touch?
Charlotte Sands: My family. I’m very protective of my relationships with my family and my life in the way that I’m happy. I’ll talk about my life and my relationships, but they are so separate from everything to me. That’s my core. I’d do anything to keep them in that bubble and maintain distance from any negative things. They love being a part of my career and celebrating it, but I’m protective of that separation.
Enter Satellite: the world, the place, the energy
If Satellite is a night in LA
Narcissist: If Satellite is a late night, what are we doing—Silver Lake parking lot, existential West Hollywood sparkle delusion, or Malibu post-cry reset?
Charlotte Sands: East Side, Silver Lake. For me: you go to Jaguar room, you have some cocktails, you have a nice dinner, and then you’re out on the East Side having fun and having the best time with your friends.
And now I’m thinking about some of the sad songs and I’m like, no idea where those fit in. Maybe those sad songs are the next day—Sunday morning, you driving around with your friends listening to “Sunday,” and you can talk about all the heavier feelings.
Favorite LA spots + thrift fashion
Charlotte Sands: I love Italian food. I live right near Laurel Tavern—great spot, daytime, casual, really great food. I also love a dive bar. Bar Seco on the East Side is great. I’m a big fan.
Narcissist: Any fashion spots?
Charlotte Sands: Honestly, I get most of my clothes from Goodwill or Thrifting and I do the Silver Lake Flea a lot. I have a Goodwill near my house I can walk to. I’ve gone to like four events in the last few weeks and every single part of my outfit was thrifted from Goodwill. In LA, you can find really cool pieces—you just have to invest the time.
Where do you play this album first?
Narcissist: Where would you physically play this album first—a rooftop, a dirty club, the desert, or someone’s kitchen at 3am?
Charlotte Sands: Definitely a dirty club. I immediately think of New York or somewhere in the basement. Like 200 people, sweaty and gross and fun. That’s my dream.
And then it turns into an after party with remixes of “Hush” and a DJ set.
Narcissist: I would totally love to hear that remix. Do you DJ?
Charlotte Sands: I’m learning to DJ. My roommate is a DJ and has been teaching me, but it’s so hard. Your brain has to work producing two songs at the same time. It’s counting down seconds. I love parties, I love clubs, but it’s stressful right now. I’d love to get to a point where I could do that and have fun—or just be there for the vibe.
The most Charlotte-in-LA thing this week
Narcissist: What’s the most Charlotte Sands in LA thing you’ve done this week?
Charlotte Sands: I wake up every day and go on a walk to Trader Joe’s. Sundays for me are: I go on a hike. I went on a hike in Malibu, then the flea market, then Trader Joe’s, make my food at home. That’s kind of my dream day. My family on the East Coast is like, “Whoa, that’s so LA.” They just got like four feet of snow in Boston—so I’m happy to be on this side of the country.
Why the title Satellite — and what it means
Narcissist: Why Satellite? What does that word mean in your life right now?
Charlotte Sands: I picked that title because I loved the idea of something revolving around another thing, even when you can’t really see it. You’re not aware it’s there, but there’s this constant pull—and constant motion. It’s never stopping or speeding up; it’s consistent.
That’s exactly how I feel about my community—the people who come to my shows. We live in so many different places, I see them once a year, but we maintain this constant relationship, this constant connection. Even when I’m not around you, I’m supporting you, I’m here for you, I’m aware of your existence, I’m existing alongside you. There’s so much comfort in that.
And it was funny when I started thinking about it as the title—almost every song has an example of a relationship or feeling that is a direct pull or revolution around something else. Obsession, parasocial relationships, love, friendship—this constant awareness of something else. So it made the most sense.
Wound, glow-up, or reckoning?
Narcissist: Was Satellite written from a wound, a glow up, or a reckoning?
Charlotte Sands: All of them at the same time. These songs were written over the course of a year and a half, and that’s exactly what the album is. The really hard days, crawling out of them with everything I have, feeling better, then things happening again and doing it all over again. It’s the full life experience—not sugarcoating being human.
It’s the full multi-dimensional version of myself instead of one box. Hopefully, whatever someone is going through, they have at least one song on it they can relate to.
The core track: what everything orbited around
Narcissist: What song felt like the core of the album—the one everything else orbited around?
Charlotte Sands: “Hush” was a big moment for me sonically—when I realized I could combine the electronic stuff with the rock stuff in a way that felt really exciting. It felt like: okay, this is the new era, this is the new phase, how do we lean into this?
I felt the same way about Afterlife. They were doors I was opening—what’s behind this door? What’s in this world? How do we experiment with this more? They were bridges into new spaces.
The “Narcissist” rapid-fire universe: party archetypes, perfume, warning labels
If Satellite is a person at a party…
Narcissist: If Satellite is a person at a party, who are they—dancing alone like it’s therapy, or giving everyone a pep talk in the bathroom?
Charlotte Sands: The friend that will dance with you and have the absolute best time, but then goes to the bathroom for their other friend and is like, what are we doing here? Let’s get you out of this thing. Let’s go back to the dance floor.
The friend getting all the girls on the dance floor, finding all of them in the house, talking them through everything—and ending the night at a level of joy and peace.
If Satellite had a perfume…
Narcissist: If Satellite had a perfume, what would be in it—gasoline, cherry gloss, metal, vanilla, static, electricity, rose?
Charlotte Sands: A masculine vanilla. I love the metal vanilla visual. It’s confident and masculine and feminine at the same time. A bergamot vanilla sounds delicious. You should make that.
The warning label
Narcissist: What’s the album’s warning label—may cause…?
Charlotte Sands: May cause introspection. May cause an entire array of feelings and emotions and reactions. It’s a roller coaster of stories and experiences—highs and lows—so yeah: may cause confusion, but joy and sadness and everything in between.
The Uber-texting music video song
Narcissist: What track is texting in the Uber like you’re in the music video?
Charlotte Sands: “Back To You.” When we filmed that video it was in a rain room. I was like, I just need to act out my 2000s Avril Lavigne rain-looking-out-the-window vibe. That’s exactly what we did.
“I’m fine” in glitter font
Narcissist: What track is “I’m fine” lie in glitter font?
Charlotte Sands: Maybe “Water Me Down.” I think a lot of women will relate to that song and that experience.
Narcissist: What track is the main character walks away from the explosion moment?
Charlotte Sands: “None Of My Business.” It’s bratty, confident, unapologetic—your opinion has nothing to do with me, I’m removing myself from this conversation.
Also “Satellite” feels cinematic, movie-trailer—so that could be epic as well.
what track is the bathroom mirror pep talk song?
Charlotte Sands: I would still say “None Of My Business.” That’s the one people will be screaming in the car to get the energy out and feel confident.
The thirst trap you post then delete
Charlotte Sands: Maybe “Hush” would be the thirst trap. But they shouldn’t delete it—they should keep it up.
Sound, genre, and why Charlotte’s alt-rock feels “now”
Paramore, Evanescence, “new wave alt rock”
Narcissist: Some people compare you to Paramore and Evanescence, and now call you a new wave alt rock. Does that feel accurate or limiting?
Charlotte Sands: I feel so honored to be compared to such incredible artists and bands and women. I don’t think it’s limiting. Alternative gives this entire world of whatever you want it to be. We live in a time when genre is less relevant—people are happy with songs they like.
And being compared to Hayley Williams will never be a negative thing in my mind.
What makes it Gen Z coded?
Narcissist: What makes your version of alt rock feel Gen Z coded?
Charlotte Sands: Two things. The electronic aspect—leaning into that “brat summer” energy where people want to have a good time. There’s so much going on in the world—heavy responsibilities and emotions—so being able to release those things through music and go out and find joy is so important. It keeps us grounded and motivated to create a better world.
And the grungy, gritty, garage stuff is coming back. People want things that feel organic again, not processed a million times—especially in rock. It’s two worlds, and my whole goal has been: how do we bring them together?
Nostalgia in 2026: why it hits so hard
Narcissist: Your music scratches that 2000s nostalgia itch people are addicted to right now. Why do you think nostalgia hits so hard in 2026?
Charlotte Sands: Comfort in things you know. Comfort in a time where there was more connection in more sincere ways. People yearn for that era when you knew your neighbors and couldn’t call somebody to figure out how to get somewhere—you had to trust your friends. There was deep community and trust. Everyone had to be a villager.
People miss intentional connection and intentional moments instead of everything being fleeting and overstimulated. Being able to sit in a moment and realize you’re in the good days. It’s beautiful that people want that comfort again and that joy.
Charlotte Sands: And also: how plans worked. You’d have to find your friends. Find rides. Ask random people. Get on buses. There was trust and intention. You couldn’t just cancel and refund—you had to stick to it, be part of the community, take a risk.
The 2000s object question + what she misses
Narcissist: If Satellite is a 2000s object, is it a Razr flip phone, a burned CD with Sharpie, a Hot Topic belt, or a MySpace top eight?
Charlotte Sands: Burned CD with Sharpie. But I also love a Hot Topic belt. I have 10 of those in my closet.
And I think there are songs like “Hush” and even “Back To You” that feel like the Razr and the sassy bejeweled slide phones.
Narcissist: What’s one 2000s thing you miss and one thing you’re glad is dead?
Charlotte Sands: I miss listening to music as full projects. I’d have a CD in my car—Dixie Chicks, Alanis Morissette, Hilary Duff—and listen to the entire CD every day, first song to last, over and over. We had less access, so when you loved something you listened to it into the ground.
Now people love a song, but they don’t have to inject it into their life—they can come back in a few months. We listened like it could disappear forever. That was beautiful.
And something I’m glad is gone—whatever fashion choices I was making. I used to wear dance recital outfits to school the next day. I’m glad I’m not doing that anymore, but I respect that little girl for being that confident.
Roots: Boston, the East Coast, Nashville, and storytelling
Narcissist: Did your hometown shape your taste in music?
Charlotte Sands: Right outside Boston, Massachusetts. I feel lucky to be from the East Coast—so many incredible bands and artists. The culture around music is really cool. Audiences are loud, supportive—an incredible vibe.
I was born in Jersey too, and there are so many brilliant artists from New Jersey who represent that area. I listened to a lot of Cheryl Crow, Michelle Branch, and bands like Mayday Parade, The Maine, We The Kings. We lived in a place where people toured and played shows, so you could be an active fan.
Narcissist: What parts of your hometown are still in your voice even if you left?
Charlotte Sands: I grew up in a more rural part of Massachusetts. I rode horses, had chickens—more farm life than city life. So I listened to a lot of country music and singer-songwriter music. Dixie Chicks, Shania Twain, Martina McBride—storytelling and characters.
That’s actually why I moved to Nashville—because most of their albums were written there. That’s still in my bones: I love writing country music, folk music. It’ll probably be there forever.
Narcissist: Was your ambition celebrated where you grew up or punished?
Charlotte Sands: Celebrated. My parents were always supportive. They knew since I was four I was going to do this and I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. They never questioned it—just how can we support her. That’s rare, and it’s 100% why I’m able to do this.
Astrology + the blue hair origin story
Narcissist: What are your big three—sun, moon, and rising?
Charlotte Sands: Sagittarius rising. Sun in Leo. Moon in Gemini. I don’t really know what it means, but I’d love for somebody to tell me.
Narcissist: What do people constantly misunderstand about Leos?
Charlotte Sands: I don’t know a ton about astrology, but I relate to the “center of attention” thing in the sense that I like being the center of attention when I’m making people laugh, boosting their experience, complimenting them, bringing light to a conversation.
People assume it’s self-centered, but whenever attention is on me I almost want to give it to other people. “Tell me how awesome I am” makes my skin crawl. I just love fun.
And honestly I’m also naturally loud—from Boston, East Coast. Direct, sarcastic, loud—that’s in my wheelhouse.
Narcissist: All the Leos I know have color hair. Why Blue?
Charlotte Sands: It was my mom’s idea. I had dyed my hair so many different colors and one day my mom was like, why don’t you try blue? And I was like no, I hate that color. Then I did it, and immediately it was like—this is my natural hair color. I’ve never changed it since. I’ve had it for like nine or ten years. I literally haven’t had my natural hair color since I was like 12.
Industry, women, authenticity, and boundaries
The biggest lie sold to young women in music
Narcissist: What’s the biggest lie the industry sells to young women in music?
Charlotte Sands: That your appearance is the most important thing. Branding is important, but your brand doesn’t have to be beauty or weighing 20 pounds. There are so many incredible artists who are so much more interesting than being commercially beautiful.
That has changed—audiences are more attracted to authenticity and character than just being attracted to somebody. And women and girls choose what’s popular—they’re the biggest consumers—so they get to choose what succeeds.
Confidence is the most important thing—being confident in who you are is more valuable than trying to be “pretty.”
The boundary that protects her art
Narcissist: What boundary did you have to build to protect your art?
Charlotte Sands: Surrounding myself with positive people. My emotions and energy really depend on who I’m around. If I’m around someone negative or not nice, it affects me. So I set boundaries: I only really want to be around people who are kind, positive, who want to enjoy life and make other people’s lives more enjoyable—spreading positivity and kindness. That’s a line through all my relationships: how do we make today the best day, how do we love each other well and support each other well.
What she never wants to become, even if it sells
Narcissist: What do you never want to become, even if it would make you more marketable?
Charlotte Sands: I don’t want to do anything solely to sell things. I wouldn’t sacrifice my vision and my art and my stories to be more popular. I’d be happy playing small rooms my entire career if I’m honest and transparent and connecting with people and making a difference.
If I was the biggest artist in the world but putting out music that meant nothing to me, I’d be miserable. I wouldn’t want to do this job if that’s what it entailed.
Touring, performance as theater, and building a world
Narcissist: You’ve toured with My Chemical Romance—did you learn anything watching them command a crowd artistically?
Charlotte Sands: The energy in the space when they were on stage—how much they meant to people. You could feel a vibration of excitement. Everybody in awe.
There was almost relief when people saw them live—like, okay, things are gonna be okay. They’re an outlet for intense feelings, and there’s an energy that goes along with performance.
Narcissist: Did touring with them change how you think about performance as theater, not just music?
Charlotte Sands: I only opened for them for one show, but I love the theatrics. Adding production and making a show feel like an entire experience is so important. I want people to feel like it’s an entire world they’re a part of. They’re masterminds of that—live, and in their music, the world building is incredible.
Narcissist: What’s your favorite MCR song?
Charlotte Sands: “Welcome to the Black Parade.” There are so many, but I don’t think any has had more impact. Sometimes the most popular ones are popular for a reason—the impact, the quality, why we connect.
Afterlife, spirits, past lives, and repeating souls
Narcissist: “Afterlife” gives reincarnation, past lives energy. Do you believe in past lives?
Charlotte Sands: I don’t know if I’ve made a complete decision. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of options were true. I do believe in spirits. I think people exist on earth as long as their memories exist on earth. Spirits are around as long as we remember them.
Sometimes I feel like we have gut instincts because maybe our soul is reminding us we’ve been here before—make a new decision, a different choice. I’m open to any and all things.
Narcissist: Do you think we repeat relationships across lifetimes—same souls, different costumes?
Charlotte Sands: I love the idea of that. It’s such a romantic concept. Finding people over and over again—I’d love to believe in that. Even friendships and family members—going through different times and time periods together. That feels exciting, that I’d have the opportunity to potentially do that again.
FINAL Rapid fire: culture picks + the “message into space”
Narcissist: Give me three movies that are basically your personality. No explanation.
Charlotte Sands: Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Good Will Hunting, and The Prestige.
Narcissist: Three books you recommend?
Charlotte Sands: The Nightingale, The Women, and Project Hail Mary.
Narcissist: If Satellite is a message sent into space, who is it meant for?
Charlotte Sands: Anybody who needs a friend. Anybody who needs somebody to listen to them, to confide in, to support them. And also maybe your future self and your past self—whatever version of you needs to hear it.
One sentence to screenshot and live by
Narcissist: Give the readers one sentence they can screenshot and live by.
Charlotte Sands: It is a privilege to experience everything all the time and allow yourself to make mistakes and be better and make mistakes again and give yourself permission to change your mind whenever you want to and evolve and grow forever.
Check out Charlotte Sands new album Satellite out on March 6!