Jessica Charlotte Poland
Singer-songwriter

Jessica Charlotte Poland

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Singer-songwriter
Gender:
Female
Work field:
Birth:
15 January 1988
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The details
Biography

Introduction

Jessica Charlotte Poland (born January 15, 1988) is an American singer-songwriter, better known by her former stage name Charlotte Sometimes. Her debut album Waves and the Both of Us was released on May 6, 2008. She grew up in Wall Township, New Jersey and started playing guitar and writing songs at the age of 14. She has released one full-length album and five EPs. In 2014, Poland retired her stage name and started a new project called LACES.

Biography

Poland was adopted by her parents, Hartson and Tracy Poland, as a baby. She was introduced to her birth mother at age 13.

At age 14, Poland was diagnosed with condylar resorption, a rare disease causing her jaw to essentially break apart. Her condition impaired her ability to sing. By age 16, she had undergone surgery by having two ribs extracted to "rebuild her face." She continues to have injections to treat her jaw.

Poland got her first stage name from the children’s book, Charlotte Sometimes, written in 1969 by Penelope Farmer, about a boarding school student who finds herself transported more than 40 years into the past, into the place of another girl.

Career

2006 - 2008: Career beginnings and Waves and the Both of Us

Poland began her career playing in a five-piece band (J. Poland and The Pilots) in early 2006. The group performed around the New Brunswick, New Jersey area. They soon began playing shows in New York and graduated to larger venues, opening for artists associated with producer/songwriter, Alex Houton. Houton produced much of Poland's early work and co-wrote, produced and contributed guitar work to her major label debut.

In 2008, Poland signed to Geffen Records and released Waves and the Both of Us under the stage name, Charlotte Sometimes. The album peaked at #145 on the Billboard 200 and #3 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. Poland performed at all venues on the 2008 Warped Tour, and the single "How I Could Just Kill A Man", whose title was inspired by the Cypress Hill song of the same name, was featured on the Warped Tour 2008 Tour Compilation.

2010 - 2014: EPs and The Voice

On May 14, 2010, Poland self-released a free EP entitled "Sideways." Her second EP, The Wait, was released on iTunes August 18, 2011.

In 2012, Poland was a contestant on Season 2 of NBC's The Voice. After having all four judges turn around in the blind audition round, she chose Blake Shelton as her coach. She was eliminated after the first live round. Later that year, Poland finished working on her third EP, Circus Head, which was initially made available to those who had donated to the album's PledgeMusic campaign. The lead single, "Brilliant, Broke and Beautiful," was released on October 3, 2012, with the commercial release of the EP following on October 30, 2012.

In 2013, Poland recorded her fourth (and first acoustic) Charlotte Sometimes EP entitled, "By Request." The lead single, "Magic," premiered on November 18, 2013, and the full album was released on March 4, 2014.

2014 - Present: LACES

In early 2014, Poland announced she had retired her Charlotte Sometimes stage name and would now be writing and recording music under her legal name for a new project, LACES.

The first single under her new moniker, "Love Me Sober," premiered on Billboard on March 5, 2015 and was released to retailers on March 16, 2015. "Love Me Sober" was produced by Dante Jones.

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
US
Heat.
Waves and the Both of Us
  • Released: May 6, 2008
  • Format: CD, Digital download
  • Label: Geffen
145 3
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Extended plays

List of extended plays
Title Album details
Charlotte Sometimes
  • Released: March 18, 2008
  • Label: Geffen
  • Format: CD, Digital download
Sideways
  • Released: May 14, 2010
  • Label: Independent
  • Format: Digital download
The Wait
  • Released: August 18, 2011
  • Label: Independent
  • Format: Digital download
Circus Head
  • Released: October 30, 2012
  • Label: Independent
  • Format: Digital download
By Request
  • Released: March 4, 2014
  • Label: Independent
  • Format: Digital download

Singles

As Charlotte Sometimes

List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US US
Digital Rock
"How I Could Just Kill a Man" 2008 Waves and the Both of Us
"Apologize" 2012 Non-album songs released by The Voice
"Pumped Up Kicks"
"Misery Business" 24
"Brilliant Broke and Beautiful" Circus Head
"Magic" 2014 By Request
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

As LACES

List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
"Love Me Sober" 2015 TBA
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.