Charlie Storwick Explained

Faangs
Birth Name:Melissa Faith Storwick
Birth Date:November 13, 1998
Origin:Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Instrument:Vocals, piano
Genre:Pop
Years Active:2011–present

Melissa Faith Storwick (born November 13, 1998), known professionally as Faangs (formerly Charlie), is a Canadian singer-songwriter and actress. She was the winner of The Next Star season 4, and starred as Piper Gray in YTV's Some Assembly Required.

Storwick now records music under the name Faangs and has written songs for Ashnikko and Rico Nasty.

Early life

Storwick stated in an interview for The Next Star that she is inspired by all types of music. Growing up in Calgary, Storwick was obsessed with watching performers on TV, always ready to entertain strangers on trips to the grocery store with her mom.[1] She was encouraged to take up hobbies to keep her mind active outside of school and was put into lessons to learn the trumpet and violin, eventually focussing on the piano above all, dropping the tuition and teaching herself by ear.[1] She started to sing as she was playing, mum and dad constantly reaffirming her practice as leisure time. Eventually she was allowed to take up musical theatre in school, the challenge of combining singing, acting and dancing speaking to her burgeoning desire to entertain.[1] Her musical heroes were Whitney Houston, The Beatles, Billie Joe Armstrong,[2] Christina Aguilera and Freddie Mercury. Storwick grew up in Calgary, Alberta with her family.[1] She has two sisters, Annie and Amanda Storwick and one brother, Jack Storwick. Charlie used to attend the Calgary Waldorf School.[3] She now lives in Los Angeles, California as FAANGS.[1]

Career

2011: The Next Star

In May 2011, after hearing about the auditions from her classmates,[4] she chose to audition for The Next Star because she wanted to "take it to the next level", which scared her parents. Out of thousands of young hopefuls,[5] Storwick made it to the Top 16.[4] She later made it to the Top 6, along with contestants Parker Schmidt, Milly Benzu, Shania Fillmore, April Llave, and JD Meeboer.[6]

Throughout the season, Storwick performed a total of 12 songs. (One being her audition, and two being music videos) The first song she performed was "Stuttering" by Fefe Dobson. After meeting her music producer, Zubin Thakkar, they both created her song titled "Good as Gone". Along with the rest of the top six, she performed a preview of her song. She later performed a battle song with contestant Parker; herself with "Sweet Escape" and Parker with "Grenade". Then for the group battle, she performed "Whip My Hair"; with April and Parker v.s. "I Love Rock and Roll" performed by Shania, JD and, Milly. Further on in the series, she performed "My Guy" for the Motown segment of the season.[7] Storwick also performed a Motown song with contestants Shania and April titled "Baby Love". At the finale after she won, she performed Jessie J's "Price Tag".

Towards the end of the season, Storwick also created a music video for "Good As Gone",[8] and created a group music video, "Turn It Up Up Up" with her and the other top 6 members. The video for "Good as Gone" ranked at number 21 on the MuchMusic #Trending rates of 2011 countdown.[9] At the finale, it was announced that she won season 4 of The Next Star.[10]

In 2012, Storwick signed with Warner Music Canada and released the single "Glitter in the Sky".[3] The music video made its first appearance on Monday, July 16 on YTV at 10:30 AST. Her other song titled "Paper Heart" was also released on July 16.[11]

Storwick is also the first ever contestant on The Next Star to get one million views on YouTube.[3]

2014–17: Some Assembly Required and Bazaar

Right after she finished The Next Star, she wanted to expand her career into acting.[4] It was announced in 2013 that Storwick would be playing the role of Piper Gray in the YTV show, Some Assembly Required.[12] The show premiered January 6, 2014,[4] and ended on June 6, 2016.

In 2015, she released her formal debut single "Ghosts".[13] The song debuted and peaked at number 87 on the Canadian Hot 100. The song also hit the Top 30 on the Top 40 radio, Hot AC and AC radio charts. "Ghosts" was released through Vancouver's Westsonic Music, and amassed over 1.2 million streams on Spotify.[14] The song was inspired by a real life experience. She stated, "I was playing my keyboard and then I heard a loud noise. I got a little startled, and I was thinking what happens after that and then I let my imagination run wild."[15] She released her second single titled, "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" under the label in September 2016.[16] In 2016, she was named as one of the 25 acts on Macy's iHeartRadio Rising Star contest.[17] On October 10, 2017, she released her debut album, Bazaar.[18]

She was invited to a writing workshop organised by Canadian collection society SOCAN, and it was there that she met British producer BHAV who invited her back to the UK for further sessions after her 18th birthday.[1] Storwick travelled to Berlin for writing sessions with German quartet Hitimpulse, living in their studio for four months, working on songs. Storwick then ended up signing with Sony in Germany under the supervision of the European president Daniel Lieberberg.[1]

2018–present: Faangs

Storwick moved to Los Angeles and began writing songs for other artists and on her new persona Faangs, a name inspired by the vicious city she now called home.[1] She released her debut single under the name Faangs titled "Huh" on October 23, 2020, which was followed up by four more singles until the release of her debut album Teeth Out on November 12, 2021.[1] She co-wrote the song, "Barbie Dreams, for the 2023 film, Barbie.[19]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2011 The Next Star Herself Top 6; winner
2011 MuchMusic Herself Interview
2012 YTV Herself Interview; The Zone
2014–2016 Some Assembly Required Piper Gray Lead Role

Discography

Albums

Title! scope="col" style="width:20em"
Details
Bazaar
  • Released: October 10, 2017[20]
  • Label: Westsonic Music Inc.
  • Formats: Digital download
Teeth Out
  • Released: November 12, 2021[21]
  • Label: Columbia Local
  • Formats: Digital download

Extended plays

Title! scope="col" style="width:20em"
Details
I Died in LA
  • Released: September 9, 2022[22]
  • Label: Teeth Out
  • Formats: Digital download

Charlie

Title! rowspan="2"
YearPeak chart positionsAlbum
CAN
[23]
CAN
AC

[24]
CAN
CHR

[25]
CAN
HAC

[26]
"Good as Gone"[27] 2011The Next Star: Season 4
"Turn It Up Up"[28]
"Glitter in the Sky"[29] 2012rowspan="2"
"Paper Heart"
"Ghosts"[30] 201587 28 24 30Bazaar
"Kiss Kiss Bang Bang"2016
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Faangs

As lead artist

Title! scope="col"
YearAlbum
"Ceiling"2018rowspan="2"
"Love Fast Die Young"
"Huh"[31] 2020Teeth Out
"Rich Kid$"[32] 2021
"Relapse"[33]
"I Don't Care"[34]
"I'm a Little"[35] 2021
"I'd Hate Me Too"[36] 2022
"Voicemail"[37] I Died in LA
"Kate Moss"[38]
"BeepBeep!"[39] 2023

As featured artist

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2"
YearPeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum
GER
[40]
"That's You"[41]
(Brandon Taylor featuring Faangs)
2019Bankview
"Shy"[42]
(Karate Kactus featuring Faangs)
rowspan="4"
"Don't Talk to Me"[43]
(N.F.I. featuring Faangs and Riton)
2020
"Sicko"[44]
(Felix Jaehn featuring Gashi and Faangs)
42
"Disconnected"[47]
(Politik featuring Faangs)
2023
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Songwriting credits

TitleYearArtist(s)Album Written with
"It's Alright"2018Mother MotherDance and CryRyan Guldemond
"Sick Thoughts"2019Lewis BlissettJames "Yami" Bell, Finn Keane, Lewis Blissett
"We Got This"Delhi 2 DublinWe Got ThisGavin Brown, Kevin Maher, Sanjay Seran, Tariq Hussain, Tarun Nayar
"Halloweenie II: Pumpkin Spice"AshnikkoAshton Casey, Oscar Scheller
"Say It Ain't So"2020Bishara & LeiaJames "Yami" Bell, Timothy Caifeldt, Samuel Kvist, Markus Sepehrmanesh
"Tragic"
The HimSteven Berghuijs, Jeroen Kerstens, Jonas Kalisch, Jeremy Chacon, Henrik Meinke, Alexsej Vlasenko, Amanda Cygnaeus
"Cry"
AshnikkoDemidevil Ashton Casey, Ebenezer Fabiyi, Claire Boucher
"Own It"Rico NastyNightmare Vacation Maria-Cecilia Simone Kelly, Vincent van den Ende, Camden Bench, Amit Nagra
"Outta My Control"
2022Koda KumiHeartBhavik Pattani
"Pregame"Niki DeMarNicola DeMartino, Robert Grimaldi, Trevor Muzzy
"Lights Out"[48] 2023BludnymphHenry Walter, Kya Hansen
"Barbie Dreams"
Fifty FiftyBarbie the AlbumJames Harris, Janet Jackson, JBACH, Kaliya Ashley Ross, Marc Raymond Ernest Sibley, Mike Caren, Nathan Cunningham, Nicholaus Joseph Williams, Randall Hammers, Terry Lewis, Tramaine Winfrey

Music videos

Year Title Artist Notes
2011 "Good as Gone" Charlie
  1. 21 on MuchMusic Countdown
2011 "Turn It Up Up Up" The Next Star top 6 Aired on CMT as #69 in top 100
2012 "Glitter in the Sky" Charlie
2015 "Ghosts" Charlie
2016 "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" Charlie
2018 "Ceiling" Faangs
2019 "Shy" Karate Kactus featuring Faangs
2020 "Sicko" Felix Jaehn featuring Gashi and Faangs
2020 "Huh" Faangs
2021 "Rich Kid$" Faangs
2021 "Relapse" Faangs
2021 "I Don't Care" Faangs
2021 "Don't Blame Me" Faangs
2021 "Diamond Bitch" Faangs
2022 "I'm a Little" Faangs

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: On the Rise: Faangs. The Line of Best Fit. Jen Long. November 12, 2020. December 28, 2023.
  2. Web site: YTV's Charlie Storwick talks about transition from music to TV. Tribute.ca. March 9, 2015. December 28, 2023.
  3. Web site: Calgary teen and Next Star champ Charlie Storwick starring in new YTV sitcom. Calgary Herald. Heidi Staseson. January 6, 2014. January 7, 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140111040708/http://www.calgaryherald.com/Calgary%2Bteen%2BNext%2BStar%2Bchamp%2BCharlie%2BStorwick%2Bstarring%2Bsitcom/9348050/story.html. January 11, 2014.
  4. Web site: Next Star winner Charlie Storwick steps up to act. Vancouver Sun. Mark Leiren-Young. January 1, 2014. December 28, 2023.
  5. Web site: Exclusive The Next Star Winner Charlie Talks About Reality Show Competitions and Her Next Single. MuchMusic. November 18, 2011. https://archive.today/20121205202120/http://blog.muchmusic.com/exclusive-the-next-star-winner-charlie-talks-about-reality-show-competitions-and-her-next-single/. December 5, 2012. December 29, 2023.
  6. Web site: The Next Star – Homepage. YTV. https://web.archive.org/web/20110923193117/http://nextstar.ytv.com/index.aspx. September 23, 2011. April 9, 2023.
  7. Web site: The Next Star on YTV.com. YTV. https://web.archive.org/web/20110902032711/http://nextstar.ytv.com/index.aspx. September 2, 2011. April 9, 2023.
  8. live. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/sUz4_eDuAFY. 2021-12-11. The Next Star - Charlie "Good as Gone" . YouTube.
  9. Web site: Charlie – Good as Gone on MuchMusic. MuchMusic. https://web.archive.org/web/20111025105447/http://www.muchmusic.com:80/music/playlist/cid/552518/pid/63921/charlie-good-as-gone. October 25, 2011. December 28, 2023.
  10. Web site: YTV Crowns The Next Star Winner. Diane Wild. TV-Eh. September 25, 2011. July 19, 2023.
  11. Web site: Paper Heart - Single by Charlie Storwick. iTunes. https://web.archive.org/web/20140821113035/https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/paper-heart-feat.-nate-hall/id542779873. August 21, 2014. December 28, 2023.
  12. Web site: Some Assembly Required in production. 2013-08-29. Diane Wild. TV, eh?.
  13. Web site: Interview with Charlie Storwick On Her Hot New Single 'Ghosts'. The Extra Mile. August 3, 2015. December 28, 2023.
  14. Web site: Ghosts - song and lyrics by Charlie on Spotify. Spotify. December 29, 2023.
  15. Chatting With Charlie About 'Ghosts'. Faze. Kelly Vickery. December 28, 2023.
  16. Web site: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - Single by Charlie. Apple Music. December 28, 2023.
  17. Web site: Pop Singer Charlie Takes Her Best Shot With 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang'. iHeartRadio. John R. Kennedy. October 2, 2016. December 28, 2023.
  18. Web site: Bazaar - Album by Charlie. Spotify. December 28, 2023.
  19. Web site: Barbie Dreams (feat. Kaliii) [From Barbie The Album] / Fifty Fifty – Tidal]. Tidal. December 29, 2023.
  20. Web site: Bazaar - Album by Charlie. Apple Music. https://web.archive.org/web/20210520010944/https://music.apple.com/us/album/bazaar/1288130125. May 20, 2021. December 28, 2023.
  21. Web site: Teeth Out - Album by Faangs. Apple Music. December 28, 2023.
  22. Web site: I Died in LA - EP by Faangs. Spotify. December 28, 2023.
  23. Billboard Canadian Hot 100: Week of October 31, 2015. Billboard. October 31, 2015. September 26, 2021.
  24. Canada AC: Week of November 14, 2015. Billboard. November 14, 2015. December 29, 2023.
  25. Canada CHR/Top 40: Week of October 31, 2015. Billboard. October 31, 2015. December 28, 2023.
  26. Canada Hot AC: Week of November 21, 2015. Billboard. November 21, 2015. December 29, 2023.
  27. Web site: Good as Gone - Single. iTunes. https://web.archive.org/web/20111121153211/http://itunes.apple.com:80/ca/album/good-as-gone/id463215676?i=463215699. November 21, 2011. December 26, 2023.
  28. Web site: Turn It Up - Single. iTunes. https://web.archive.org/web/20120123072705/http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/turn-it-up-up-up/id463215676?i=463215743. January 23, 2012. December 28, 2023.
  29. Web site: Glitter in the Sky - Single by Charlie Storwick. iTunes. https://web.archive.org/web/20140821115253/https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/glitter-in-the-sky-single/id542698178. August 21, 2014. December 28, 2023.
  30. Web site: Ghosts - Single by Charlie. Apple Music. December 28, 2023.
  31. Web site: Huh - Single by Faangs. Spotify. December 28, 2023.
  32. Web site: Rich Kid$ - Single by Faangs. Spotify. December 28, 2023.
  33. Web site: Relapse - Single by Faangs. Spotify. December 28, 2023.
  34. Web site: I Don't Care - Single by Faangs. Spotify. December 28, 2023.
  35. Web site: I'm a Little - Single by Faangs. Spotify. December 28, 2023.
  36. Web site: I'd Hate Me Too - Single by Faangs. Spotify. December 28, 2023.
  37. Web site: Voicemail - Single by Faangs. Spotify. December 28, 2023.
  38. Web site: Kate Moss - Single by Faangs. Spotify. December 28, 2023.
  39. Web site: Beep! Beep! - Single by Faangs. Spotify. December 28, 2023.
  40. Web site: Discographie Felix Jaehn. German Charts Portal. GfK Entertainment Charts. December 28, 2023.
  41. Web site: That's You - Single by Brandon Taylor. Apple Music. December 28, 2023.
  42. Web site: Shy (feat. Faangs) - Single by Karate Kactus. Apple Music. December 28, 2023.
  43. Web site: Don't Talk to Me (feat. Faangs and Riton) - Single by N.F.I. Spotify. December 28, 2023.
  44. Web site: SICKO (feat. GASHI & FAANGS) - Single by Felix Jaehn on Apple Music. Apple Music. 13 March 2020. 13 March 2020.
  45. Web site: Gold-/Platin-Datenbank. Musikindustrie.de. https://web.archive.org/web/20220413094742/https://www.musikindustrie.de/markt-bestseller/gold-/platin-und-diamond-auszeichnung/datenbank/?action=suche&strInterpret=Felix+Jaehn&strTtArt=alle&strAwards=checked. April 13, 2022. December 28, 2023.
  46. Web site: Gold & Platinum. IFPI Austria. December 28, 2023.
  47. Web site: Disconnected (feat. FAANGS) - Single by Politik. Apple Music. 13 March 2020. 13 March 2020.
  48. Web site: bludnymph Releases New Song 'Lights Out'. PM Studio. January 7, 2023. December 28, 2023.