By Cédric Vernet 
At last, some new music from Théo Charaf! Five years after a debut album that really won us over, the Lyon-based musician opens a new chapter with Gloom. The first single from his upcoming album, the song explores the doubts, loneliness and writer’s block that sometimes come with an artist’s life. And this first glimpse already has us eager to hear what comes next.
Five years after a debut album that established his stripped-back folk-blues sound, Théo Charaf is finally starting to reveal what comes next. Available today, Gloom is the first single from his highly anticipated second album. The song looks directly at the contrasts of an artist’s life: one day out on the road, surrounded by a crowd, the next alone at home. Théo Charaf addresses the difficulty of creating on demand, the pressure to live up to expectations, writer’s block and depression.
These themes echo the long process behind this new album. The musician described it as “a snapshot of where I am today: lots of doubts, lots of friends, a voice a little worn out by touring…”
With Gloom, some of those doubts have become the very substance of the song.
Gloomy, from the stage to the song
The title comes from Gloomy, a black octopus plush toy that accompanies Théo Charaf on stage and has become his mascot. In the song, Gloomy represents that little voice urging him to get back to work, in the hope of writing new songs and getting back on the road.
Since his debut album was released in 2021, Théo Charaf has spent a lot of time touring and his project has evolved along the way. He once summed up the limits of working alone with a touch of humour: “Being alone all the time isn’t very funky.” For this second record, he has promised more instruments and several guests.
On Gloom, however, the line-up remains deliberately stripped back. Théo Charaf is joined by Pierrem Thinet, aka Blob, on viola, with Hervé Bessenay handling production. The viola brings one of the new colours Théo Charaf had hinted at for the upcoming record, whose songs are expected to be more airy and lean further towards folk.
Blues Actu had already heard Gloom
The song won’t be entirely new to Blues Actu readers. When we met Théo Charaf at the Salaise Blues Festival, he treated us to an exclusive early performance of Gloom. You can watch that stripped-back version below.
Gloom is now the first official taste of the new album. And behind the doubts explored in the song, one statement from Théo Charaf still stands out: “I really want to move forward.”
Gloom confirms everything we love about Théo Charaf: that deep, rough-edged voice, straightforward songwriting and a less-is-more approach that suits him perfectly. Pierrem Thinet’s viola adds a new colour to the song without ever weighing it down. A subtle but very real evolution, and one that works beautifully.
Photo: Pierre Veillet
Quotes: excerpts from Blues Actu’s interview with Théo Charaf at the Salaise Blues Festival.