Singer-songwriter Charlotte Mabon launches debut album River of Soul
Totnes-based singer-songwriter Charlotte Mabon will launch her long-awaited debut album River of Soul with a live concert at The Hairy Barista on Saturday 6 December.
A leading voice in the ‘medicine-folk’ scene, Charlotte’s music blends poetic lyrics, layered harmonies and globe-spanning instrumentation to explore grief, emotional resilience and our connection with nature. Charlotte’s songwriting journey began during a 21-day sailing trip across the Atlantic. “I found the kind of space and time you never find elsewhere – no distractions, just the waves and the sky,” she recalls. “Sometimes I was frightened by the sea’s epic power. Other times I was lulled, like a baby in a cradle. That’s when the music started to flow.”
The result is River of Soul – a profoundly reflective, emotionally stirring collection that draws on Japanese and Middle Eastern instrumentation alongside vocals, strings and guitar. The album’s lead single, Dance Our Dues, has already struck a chord with listeners online.
River of Soul also reflects Charlotte’s experience as a mother, offering what she describes as “a prayer for future generations” in a time of uncertainty.
Charlotte’s music has previously been championed by BBC Introducing and the I Pledge 2 Talk suicide-awareness campaign. Charlotte also spearheaded the acclaimed fundraising album Each Life Sacred, featuring Johnny Flynn and Anoushka Shankar. Promoted heavily via social media, the campaign raised over £30,000 for War Child’s work with children in Gaza – with £12,000 coming directly from Johnny Flynn’s online post.
Born in Suffolk, Charlotte first visited Totnes as a teenager before eventually making it her home in 2007. “I walked up the high street and thought, this is where I belong,” she says. “Totnes has such glorious nature – Dartmoor, the sea, and this magical sense of community.” Charlotte is a Totnes-based artist whose poetic, emotionally resonant songs sit at the crossroads of folk, healing and activism. Her songwriting has been shaped by years spent in plant medicine communities and studying Indian classical music in India. With a background in poetry and philosophy, her lyrics explore life’s deepest themes – from personal grief to planetary change.
The December 6 concert promises to be an immersive, heartfelt evening of storytelling, stillness, live music with special guests, and space for reflection and movement – creating what Charlotte calls “a kind of ceremony, where each song has its own energy. People say they cry at my gigs – but in a good way,” says Charlotte. “If the songs help someone open up, connect, or just remember they’re not alone, then I feel I’ve achieved something meaningful.”
Tickets https://dandelion.events/e/riverofsouladamaevents
Instagram: @charlottemabonmusic Charlotte Mabon Website