Charlotte Sands has us stuck in her orbit with ‘Satellite’ — Album Review

Recommended Tracks: “one eye open,” “water me down,” “None of My Business”
Artists You Might Like: Taylor Acorn, Maggie Lindemann, John Harvie

After pouring her heart out into her music for over a decade, Charlotte Sands has officially cemented her place as the alt-pop it girl. With her bright blue hair and effortless Y2K-inspired style, the rising artist is impossible to miss. Looking beyond her aesthetic, her emotionally relatable lyrics paired with the perfect pop-rock sound have truly defined her name.

Building her career from the ground up, Sands has been extremely successful. She’s amassed over 200 million streams on Spotify alone (as an independent artist running her own record label). She has also shared stages with stars such as 5 Seconds of Summer, Taking Back Sunday, YUNGBLUD, and The Maine. From a little girl singing in talent shows to the iconic artist she is today, Sands proves once again that she only gets better with time, as proven by her sophomore album, Satellite.

The album opens with the title track, “Satellite.” Unlike anything she’s released before, the chorus is packed with synthesizers and is more electronic-heavy than Sands’ previous work. The instrumentals paired with the lyrics, “I’m lost in your orbit / but I don’t want out / I wanna be your satellite,” immediately set the tone for the rest of the album and let you know the new era of Sands is here. Sands says that Satellite was “born from a search for meaning, identity, and self-worth. It’s a collection of moments from the last two years of my life—the highs and lows, the joy and the grief. It’s about drifting, discovering, questioning your purpose, and learning to trust the quiet pull that brings you back to yourself.”

One of the strongest moments on the record is “one eye open,” as this track fully showcases all of Sands’ talents. The song highlighted her powerful, alluring voice and her talent for songwriting. With both, she’s easily able to shift back and forth between strength and sensitivity. “one eye open” begins with soft, angelic vocals before exploding into the intense track it is. Sands has shared that she hopes this song gives her listeners the strength to put themselves first.

“‘one eye open’ is about learning that love isn’t supposed to feel like survival. It’s the realization that you’ve been mistaking control for care and the breaking point that forces you to remove yourself from their grip and remember who you were before they made you doubt it. This song is about taking your power back and choosing your own peace over their chaos.”

Lines like “you dream of my devotion / it kills you I don’t need it anymore” perfectly reflect what feelings Sands wanted people to feel while listening to this song. Other lyrics include, “you keep me uneasy / just leave me alone / I sleep with one eye open,” which explores feelings of anxiety, feelings like you’re constantly walking on eggshells and hitting road bumps in a relationship that doesn’t feel safe. By the end of the track, Sands sings, “I’m self possessed,” fully letting go of her fears and reclaiming her power.

Next is “HUSH,” the perfect song for those who can’t decide if they want to spend their time in a mosh pit or the club, as Sands describes. The track showcases Sands’ ability to flawlessly blend genres, featuring elements of electronic music alongside her classic pop-rock vibe. I find “HUSH” an amazing reminder to just be present in the moment, as things are never as serious as they may feel. With lyrics like “can’t we just shut up for one night” and “I think I’d rather play dumb,” Sands emphasizes the importance of letting go rather than overthinking every little thing.

Lyrically, “half alive” is different from the rest of the album, as it’s more focused on internal struggles and inner emotions. Sands’ voice stands out once again, as it’s powerful yet vulnerable. The instrumentals are different; however, they still carry that classic Sands sound. She repeats the line: “It must be nice to have a brain that doesn’t ruin everything,” which once again captures the theme of overthinking and self-doubt. Other lyrics, such as “I lay with my demons, they keep me up all night, I’m alone in my body, and I’m terrified,” portray the image of how it feels to be filled with anxiety. With her gorgeous vocals over a strong track, “half alive” is intense and at the same time so personal.

On “Afterlife,” Sands explores the idea of a love so strong that it exists beyond this lifetime. Sands describes the song as being about “a connection so deep it feels eternal, like your souls have met a thousand times before, in every universe and across every timeline. It’s about the rare and beautiful certainty that no matter what this lifetime holds, you’ll always find your way back to each other again — in the next life and in every one after that.” This idea appears in the chorus with the lines “promise that you’ll find me somewhere on the other side / we can keep on trying / someday we might get it right / if there’s no survivors and we don’t make it out alive / promise that you’ll find me somewhere in the afterlife.”

At the same time, Sands discusses her fears when it comes to being in a relationship, singing “I’ve always had my doubts, but now I’m used to it / cause everything I love has always gone to shit / I’m scared of ending up just like my parents did / but what can I expect when I’m my parents’ kid?” Despite her worries, Sands allows herself to “turn into an optimist” and feel love. She says, “I’ll find you every time, it’s out of my control … Who am I to fight it when it’s destiny?” Even someone with doubts can fully fall in love when the connection is strong enough. “Afterlife” is a bittersweet love song about believing in a bond that lasts forever and is way too strong to disappear with the end of life.

“back to you” is the song that ties the whole album together. It slows things down and brings listeners back to the theme of being stuck in someone’s orbit. Sands sings about the cycle of constantly running back to someone you know you shouldn’t, making the track extremely relatable (we’ve all been there at least once!). The chorus “now I know it’s all for nothing / thought we could be something / I was wrong / I’m living in a loop / running circles back to you,” portrays the frustration of not being able to let someone go because of how much you love them, no matter how hard you try. She adds even more honesty to the song with lyrics such as “I’m cheating on my self respect” and “maybe I just fall for what if / I must look so stupid.” These lines emphasize the false hope and embarrassment that you feel when you hold on. “back to you” shows off just how talented Sands is, as she’s able to put feelings so many people feel into words over an emotional track with absolutely beautiful vocals.

The album continues with “neckdeep,” a song that Sands explains is “about the realization you’re no longer a priority in your relationship and the desperation that comes with wanting to be seen. It captures the chaos that comes with being pushed past your breaking points and constantly existing on the edge of helplessness and revenge.” Realizing you’re no longer one of the most important things in someone’s life is one of the most painful experiences — and Sands explores that feeling throughout the song. The song includes lines like “I’d trade my self-respect for 20 seconds in your mind,” which is the lyric on the album that stands out to me the most.

Once again, “neckdeep” highlights Sands’ talents as a songwriter and the strength it takes to be vulnerable. Throughout the song, she questions if the relationship was even real in the first place, repeating the line “I felt it, tell me you felt it,” with other lyrics such as “you make it look so hard to want me / why would you build me up and let me love you just to let me down?” When things don’t work out, it’s easy to start doubting yourself and feeling like you’re not enough. Through emotional and honest lyrics over a powerful instrumental, “neckdeep” continues to prove that Satellite is some of Sands’ best work.

One of my favorites on Satellite is “water me down.” This song is beautiful yet soul-crushing, and it easily stands out as one of the album’s most vulnerable moments. The track explores how painful it is to always feel like you’re too much for someone, along with the frustration that comes with being loved not for who you truly are, but rather for a diluted version of yourself. Throughout the track, Sands reflects on the impossible expectations that other people have, writing, “you want me to be pretty / but hate it when they stare / you want me to get dressed up / but only when you’re there / you want people to love me / but hate it when they do.” These standards slowly make a person lose sight of who they are, forcing them to shrink down just to make other people happy, as heard in the chorus, “go on and water me down / I’ll do my best not to drown.” Sands shows just how crippling these expectations become with lines such as “you know you’re killing me / hiding me from the world / I can be the perfect girl / easier to handle me now.” It’s a devastating thing when the person who’s supposed to love you the most only seems to accept you when you make yourself smaller, making “water me down” one of the most perfect ballads. If there’s one thing Sands can do, it’s write a sad song.

The energy immediately shifts with “None of My Business,” a sassy and fierce anthem that is bound to be a fan favorite and will definitely put you in a good mood. This song is all about not letting other people’s words get to your head, especially the ones that are obsessed with your every move. Throughout the track, Sands uses witty lines like “the way you talk about me it sounds like you’re secretly in love” and “the way you study me you should be paying a tuition,” which both immediately set the stage for the bold attitude of this song. “None of My Business” demonstrates Sands’ carefree and playful attitude, how she never takes criticism too seriously, and instead turns it into something fun. The chorus is extremely catchy, making it easy to imagine just how fun it will be to hear live. “None of My Business” is filled with just the right amount of attitude, making it feel like the kind of song everyone is going to enjoy.