Charlie Collins (born Charlene Joyce Bailey; 1987 or 1988) is an Australian singer and songwriter. With her siblings she first played in the bands The Baileys and Chasing Bailey. From 2011 until 2017 she played in Tigertown, with her then husband Chris Collins and two of each of their siblings. For her solo debut album, Snowpine, she was nominated for the 2019 ARIA Award for Best Country Album. Her second studio album, Undone, was released in April 2022.
Early life and education
Charlene Joyce Bailey[1][2][3] was born on 1987 or 1988[2] in Sydney to an Indian family.[4]
She then moved to Tamworth[5][6] and grew up on a nearby farm with her older siblings, Kurt and Crystal, who are also musicians.[5][7]
Career
2001: The Baileys
The three siblings formed a group, the Baileys, in Tamworth in 2001 with Collins on lead vocals and guitar, Kurt on drums and Crystal on vocals and mandolin.[5] They were later joined by Daniel Conway on lead guitar and vocals and Lindsay Dallas on bass guitar, producing a sound described as "embrac[ing] country, pop, rock and white-eyed soul".[5]
2008-2010: Chasing Bailey
By July 2008 the band renamed themselves as Chasing Bailey, described in The Sydney Morning Herald as a "five-piece pop rock band".[8] In August of that year the group released their debut album, Long Story Short, through EMI.[5][7] Collins described their music, "We don't want to pigeonhole ourselves at this point and it's not because we don't like country or don't like pop".[7]
From 2011 to 2017 Collins was a member of the Sydney pop band Tigertown, with her husband, Chris Collins, on lead guitar and his siblings, Elodie on bass guitar and Alexi on keyboards.[9][10] Collins' siblings Crystal and Kurt were early members.[9][10] The band released six extended plays, starting with Tigertown in 2011 and ending with Warriors in 2017.[11]
Collins has known the members of Gang of Youths since they were teenagers, and they played as the support act for her first national tour with the band.[12]
2018-present: solo
In July 2018, Collins released her debut solo single, "Wish You Were Here".[13] On 31 May 2019, Collins released her debut solo album, Snowpine. The album was recorded at the Snowpine Lodge in Dalgety. Also appearing on the album were Chris Collins (guitar) and George Georgiadis (drums).[14] Her next single was "Mexico", leading to a national tour with Gang of Youths and attracting many fans, including Courtney Barnett and Amy Shark.[15] She also played support for English musician Sam Fender and US-based South African-born country singer Orville Peck.[16]
In November 2019 she released the track "I Don't Want to Be in a Rock Band", which was written while touring with Gang of Youths. Kevin Rutherford wrote in Billboard that it "continues the breezy, country-tinged sound of Snowpine, flecked with harmonica and rootsy electric guitar". The accompanying video, directed by Mickey Mason, features Collins and her band in various locations in Sydney. She was set to follow this with a national tour in early 2020.[17]
In 2021, Collins released "Fuck It", the lead single from her forthcoming album. Her second studio album, Undone,[18] half of which was recorded at The Grove Studios,[16][a] was released on Island Records in April 2022. Its style was described in The Music as "rhythmic '80s rock, contempo soul balladry, and slick power-pop – rivalling Taylor Swift".[18] She said that the title reflected the theme of the album: "all about letting go and exposing the truths behind the pain".[16] She wrote one song, "November", on piano, on the 1st wedding anniversary after separating from her husband. She did not want to include it on the album, but was encouraged to do so by Gang Of Youths guitarist Joji Malani. She co-wrote some of the songs on the album with Gab Strum (aka "Japanese Wallpaper"), Xavier Dunn, and Jarryd James.[21]
In February–March 2022[22][23] Collins travelled to Europe, spending time with her friends in Gang of Youths, whom she has known since they were young, in London.[12] She performed as their support act at the Brixton Academy,[18] (where one reviewer called her vocals "ethereal, country-infused"[24]); the Albert Hall in Manchester;[25] and another venue. A bout of COVID-19 prevented her playing the full tour.[18] Later that year she did a national Undone tour in Australia.[12]
Collins married Chris Collins, but the marriage ended and they divorced around 2019–2020.[18]
Recognition and awards
In January 2019 The Music named Collins as an act to watch.[15]
AIR Awards
The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
^"GA252037-V1: GrantConnect". Grant Award View. Retrieved 31 December 2024. Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade): Grant Term: 14-Jun-2022 to 30-Aug-2025
^ ab"Preview of Episode 11, Series 43". NuCountry TV: Dave's Diary. 4 May 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2024. Charlie, now 32 and born Charlene Joyce Bailey, cut an album with her family group Chasing Bailey and was also in rock band Tigertown.
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