The saxophonist and singer-songwriter sits down with Man About Town to talk virality and leading the jazz-house evolution.

Kent-hailing 22-year-old Charlie Jeer is the new stalwart of jazz-house hypnosis. A life-long player of the saxophone with an artistic vision to match his technical credibility, since emerging from the mist in August 2024 with late summer jam “Her Eyes”, the rising star has been on a winning run, dropping singles like “Nobody” and more recently “Sun Is Gone”. 

The latter’s latest cut is a surefire showing of the musician, singer-songwriter and producer’s incandescent charm and innately multi-hyphenate perspective. Luscious grooves, slick saxophone cadence, dreamy vocals, sharp songwriting – it’s a cohesive and colourful sonic treat.  

Hearing from the emerging talent, Jeer tells Man About Town about his love for his instrument, a stint on Netflix’s Too Hot To Handle, and strengthening plans for a debut EP. 

Listen to the single… 

Hey Charlie! Talk us through your musical origins – where does your love stem from? 

My passion for music started ever since I was in primary school. I have memories of listening to music in the car that my mum would play on the way to school and ever since have had a soundtrack to life (shoutout to my mum). I started learning piano, and saxophone in primary school and never looked back…  

You’re a trained saxophonist. What’s the story behind that? Why is it your instrument of choice? 

Again this goes back to my mum’s car. She used to play Kenny G tracks in the car which is where I connected so deeply with the saxophone. The saxophone being the closest instrument to the voice but not having words is what I love about it. Listening to those melodies I was able to fill in the gaps that weren’t told to me by words, letting me make my own judgments on how to feel as the listener. I think that’s the power that instrumental music has and is something which has always inspired me. As a saxophonist I don’t consider myself to be a jazz musician, I treat my saxophone like another vocal would be on a track, except without the boundaries that words can sometimes place to the listener…

You appeared on Netflix’s Too Hot To Handle – how was that experience? 

Ha, great question, it was definitely an experience… It was a very spontaneous decision I made at a time when it felt right to do something crazy. I was a 21 year old economics graduate who had just signed a modelling contract in London and got the opportunity to fly to Turks and Caicos to be on Netflix – pretty hard to turn down right… It was a great life experience and something I’ll always look back on fondly as it was able to steer me into a direction that aligns with who I am which I’m grateful for. 

Did you ever worry about it taking away from your authenticity as a musician? How have you successfully navigated that?

Ultimately I understand people’s preconceptions that may come with appearing on a reality TV show. I have a very strong sense of self that is unchanged by such views. I was a musician before I was on a TV show, and to the people who struggle to see past that, I’ll take pleasure in continuing to surprise them.

You immediately found plaudits and massive streaming numbers with your debut single “Her Eyes”. Did you expect such a huge reception? 

I don’t think you can ever expect these things to play out in the way they do. I was so compelled to make that song, and it’s a privilege that a moment which I felt and put into a song translated into something which could be enjoyed by so many people. The feeling of people identifying with my music has meant so much to me, and having such a positive reception immediately has inspired me to continue to create songs with passion and purpose. 

Why do you think that single particularly has captured the imagination of music lovers?

I think that “Her Eyes” was made in such an exciting time of my life. I had such a clear picture in my head of a moment to write about. I think that really helps me when writing songs to really embody the moment that I’m trying to make a listener feel. The combination of that clear picture, the tasteful lyrical style, an “iconic” saxophone line, and a deep jazz-house influence is what I think makes that song resonate so deeply with myself and others. 

How had you been planning behind the scenes for the moment you began releasing? How long has your emergence into the spotlight been in the works? 

In all honesty it all fell into place. There wasn’t too much planning or forethought. I just put out a song and people loved it. 

Are you planning to release a debut EP at any point? If so, what can fans expect from the EP? What’s the core of its musical inspiration? 

I definitely am – I haven’t got any dates yet but I’ve been spending a lot of time in the studio refining my taste and skills to be able to put out a body of work that I truly identify with. One thing I didn’t want to do after releasing such a big first song is to chase a moment. I wanted to take some time to really know the artist that I want to be and the music that I want to put out by creating loads of music, which I have done… I think my core musical influences at the moment are Sade with a splash of Berlioz and Masego. I try not to take too much inspiration from others though as I want my songs to feel authentic to myself, combining styles and sounds in whatever way feels right to me. 

What else will you be up to this year?

This year for me is all about the music. Having found my feet in the music industry I really want to devote time and energy to the best creations I can. That being said I believe that a lot of my art comes from real life experiences and moments so I’ll make sure to live a life that inspires me around making songs.