Walking up to the gold-tinted stage, a singer and guitarist sets up her mic and sits down on a chair. Although filled with nerves, she takes a deep breath and sets her passion for music and performance free. Lyrical words flow out, a sweet melody surrounding the coffee shop. Her fingers delicately strum guitar chords, making a strong base to the music’s beats. As the tune slows down, and finishes, the audience erupts into cheers and claps.
Charlotte Mar, a sophomore at Southeast High School, is an aspiring musician by the name of Alls. With two albums, one EP, and three singles released, a lot of hard work and effort is put into making her music. Mar is inspired by artists such as Los Campesinos!, Modern Baseball and Crywank. She likes to take a lyrically dense and musically vibrant approach to music.
Since her first EP, “All’s Well That Ends,” which came out in 2022, Mar has made progress in performance and production. Mar has been performing at open mic nights at Meadowlark Coffee and Espresso and, after sending in an audition tape, booked her first live gig at the coffee shop on Nov. 1, 2024. She said she loved the experience and is ready to perform more.
Ever since she was young, Mar has had an ear for music. From excelling in singing during her elementary and middle school years, to taking guitar lessons when she was 12, her desire to learn more about music and pursue her dreams has pushed her to be brave and take chances.
“I feel like it’s something that I found that really fulfills [me]. Making music along with performing, which I love to do, like choir and theater, really goes hand-in-hand [with each other],” Mar said.
Mar’s guitar teacher, Tim Woosley, saw her strong music talent and abilities from the start.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a student show up at their first lesson with a song in mind they want to learn to play, and leave playing it that same day,” Woosley said.
Wendy Mar, Charlotte’s mother, has assisted Mar’s drive to perform and has been there every step of the way in supporting Mar’s musical career. She ultimately pushed Mar into performing and auditioning for musicals and choir, and attends all of Mar’s performances, such as open mic nights, to cheer her on.
“As soon as Charlotte was on stage, and I saw her light up, that was it. I knew this was her ‘thing’,” Wendy Mar said. “It’s always great to see your kid really find something they love and thrive doing. I’m just here to cheer on the star of the show, and I love it.”
Mar will be opening for Nudibranch on Jan. 23, 2025, at the Zoo Bar in downtown Lincoln. Her third album, “maroon, departed,” comes out in 2025 as well.
As for her future goals, Mar has high hopes. Despite her progress so far in her career, she feels there is still much to accomplish.
“Eventually, I want to play with a whole band, whether that be just a hired band or I have a consistent group. Another goal of mine is I want to perform in a bigger theater here in Lincoln or Omaha,” Mar said. “I’m really hoping that this stuff sort of takes off to a point where I can at least work a part-time job and have music be my main thing. That’s the dream.”
