FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Charles Orgbon III
charles@charlesorgbon.com
404-908-6233
DEBUT INDIE ALBUM ARTFULLY DISCUSSES BEING A 20-SOMETHING, QUEER IDENTITY, AND SURVIVING SEXUAL ASSAULT TO BE RELEASED SEPTEMBER 18, 2020
August 22, 2020 (Oakland, California) –
Step inside Charles Orgbon III’s young, curious, adventurous mind with “A Survivor’s Reward,” where indie rock meets neo-soul in this debut album. We are up out of our seats jamming to the beat in the vibrant and groovy performance of “23” and smirking at the quirkiness of “More Than A Muse,” but we are brought to tears by the emotive and raw performance in “I Said No.” It’s truly an emotional tug-of-war (“Let Me Be” vs. “Let Me Be (Remix)”), but that’s just the reality of holding space for being queer and Black (or is it just the reality of being 23-years-old?). “A Survivor’s Reward” boasts simple chord progressions yet a soulful tone and vulnerable message with a modern touch that evokes the likes of Bob Dylan, Otis Redding, and Mat Kearny.
“A Survivor’s Reward” brings light to Charles’s healing journey with music after being the victim of sexual assault in September 2018. A fortuitous lump-sum cash reward provided him the capital to produce this album. Even down to the album cover, it was through creative channeling that Charles could further process what had happened. Justice didn’t come exactly how Charles had envisioned, but he learned that he didn’t have to wait on others to create justice. Justice has many expressions, and one of them is giving oneself permission to do the things that lead them happiness. Justice can end and begin with our command (“Give Myself Permission”). Now, he’s sharing his story with others, offering nothing but the truth.
“A Survivor’s Reward” will be released on Friday, September 18, 2020. Public listening is now available. A music video of the lead single “23” is available on YouTube.
Background Information
Originally from the dirt roads of South Carolina, Charles Orgbon III moved to Oakland, California at the start of his 20’s. Until recently, he was most known as “that kid who started a non-profit environmental organization,” however, Charles is now stepping aptly into his musical talents. The shift is new, but actually it’s always been Charles’s dream to create music. Some of his earliest life memories include him making beats in his head and with his mouth. Charles’s influences include Bob Dylan, Otis Redding, Jack Johnson, Mat Kearny, The Chicks, Sugarland, and Carrie Underwood. When in middle school, Charles remembers asking his single mom for guitar lessons. Keeping food on the table and the utilities on was a struggle, so understandably Charles received a typical “who’s going to pay for that” response. Charles’s dream was deferred until he received a full-ride scholarship for Environmental Science at the University of Georgia and took a music elective course. Among his many talents as a vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, one must also note Charles’s steadfast discipline and inspiring resilience.
