Charis Talks Hit & Run, Finding Her Voice, and Writing for the People Who Feel Overlooked

Charis released her debut EP Hit & Run on June 26th. Across five songs, she moves between folk, country, dark pop, and cinematic storytelling without ever sounding like she's trying on different styles. Every shift feels intentional, every lyric rooted in lived experience.

When Everyday Jams caught up with Charis, one thing became immediately clear. Hit & Run isn't simply a collection of songs about heartbreak or identity. It's a project about learning to trust yourself, even after spending years wondering whether you were allowed to.

Learning to Be Seen

One line from Charis' press materials stayed with us long after listening to the EP: "Hit & Run came from a desire to feel seen."

Today, that idea means something entirely different than it did when these songs were first written.

"I think when I started writing, my idea of being seen was defined a little bit more by external factors," she shared. "Now I know that the more I know and be myself, the more others will see me as well. And I'm more aware than ever that my worth is not measured by how others treat me."

That shift in perspective quietly shapes the entire project. Rather than asking listeners for sympathy, Hit & Run offers something much more generous. It creates space for people who have ever felt misunderstood, forgotten, or left behind.

Even the songs that were hardest to write eventually became reminders that honesty has a way of finding the people who need it most.

"The Other Woman" took nearly two years to finish.

"I was just really scared of opening that can of worms or to be misunderstood all over again," Charis admitted. "Putting it out was really rewarding because I saw that a lot of people actually do understand my perspective. This EP has taught me a lot that as long as you're being authentic, your people will find you."

Following the Emotion, Not the Genre

One of the most striking things about Hit & Run is how naturally it moves between genres. Folk sits beside country. Dark pop brushes up against cinematic production. Instead of chasing one sound, Charis allows each song to become whatever it needs to be.

"I don't believe in settling on one genre just for the sake of it," she explained. "For this EP I just always picked the genre that fits the emotion the best."

That approach gives the record its emotional unpredictability. Every song feels like another scene in the same story, each carrying its own atmosphere while contributing to something much larger.

"The genre switching also helped create this feeling of turbulence which Hit & Run is all about."

It's a refreshing perspective from an artist who isn't interested in fitting neatly into one lane. Instead, she's letting the songs decide where they belong.

Creating Space for Other People

Although these songs began in complete privacy, they no longer belong only to Charis.

She remembers writing many of them alone in her bedroom before she'd ever released music, convinced some would never leave the notebook.

"I remember writing my song 'Why' and being like, 'No one can ever see this.'"

But even then, there was a quiet hope behind the vulnerability.

"I always thought to myself that, if I need these songs, maybe others do too."

Now, hearing from listeners has completely transformed how she views the project.

"Every single time people DM me to tell me what a song of mine means to them, I just feel like life is worth living. Like we're in it together."

That sense of shared experience is woven through every part of Hit & Run. Rather than offering answers, the EP simply makes room for people to sit with complicated emotions without feeling rushed through them.

"I hope that people who have had an experience that made them feel misunderstood or completely forgotten find a space in these songs to grieve in the way they need to."

Only the Beginning

Charis' path into music wasn't conventional. Growing up in an environment where pop music was largely discouraged still shapes the way she writes today.

"Oftentimes after writing something particularly honest or raw a little voice in my head goes, 'Am I... allowed to say that?' So songwriting is a bit like exposure therapy to me."

Maybe that's why Hit & Run feels so fearless. Not because it avoids uncertainty, but because it embraces it anyway.

Now that this chapter is finally out in the world, Charis is already looking ahead.

"I'm so excited about writing for other artists and telling new stories. There are so many new angles I want to try out, and my writing style has already developed in so many ways since writing for this EP."

For an artist whose songs invite listeners into their most vulnerable moments, it feels fitting that the next chapter is driven by curiosity rather than certainty.

Hit & Run introduces a songwriter who isn't interested in pretending to have everything figured out. Instead, Charis reminds us that some of the most meaningful music comes from asking honest questions, trusting your instincts, and allowing people to find themselves somewhere inside the story.

Stream Charis' debut EP Hit & Run, out now.