By: Tom White
How Charles Moret Transitioned From College Hoops to LA’s Indie Music Scene
There’s a quiet kind of rebellion in Charles Moret’s story. It doesn’t come in the form of smashed guitars or stadium-stage pyrotechnics; it’s subtler, deeper. It’s in the way he stepped away from what could have been a basketball career to pursue the sound that had been calling to him since he was a toddler.
Before the stages and Spotify releases, Moret was a kid in Venice, LA, where wealth and poverty brushed shoulders, and middle-class life taught him how to code-switch between worlds. At age two, his mother enrolled him in a music class. The instructor noticed something uncommon: a spark and a natural ear. With encouragement to continue, piano lessons followed, then songwriting, and soon, Charles had a secret world mapped out in melody.
From the Court to the Creative Spotlight
For years, Charles lived a double life. By day, he was the 6’7” athlete dominating high school courts, earning a basketball scholarship to Oberlin. By night, he was holed up with a keyboard, crafting songs no one heard. It wasn’t shame that kept him silent; it was vulnerability—the fear of being seen not just as a performer but as a person through his music.
“The hardest part was letting people know who I really am,” he says now. “That I’m not just an athlete, not just a student. I’m the artist.”
Everything shifted after a bold decision to perform at his high school graduation. The applause wasn’t just polite; it was affirming. Still, it would take another few years, along with a global pandemic, for Moret to finally drop the act and fully step into his purpose.
Dreammaker: The Debut That Captured Attention
Last year’s Dreammaker didn’t rely on a viral moment or a major-label push. Instead, it featured raw piano ballads, layered arrangements, and a sound that felt honest in a world drowning in algorithmic sameness. Word spread, especially in LA, where his small but energetic live shows turned curious crowds into early supporters.
Now, with his latest single, “Powder,” Moret peels back the layers even further. It’s intimate, aching, and unflinchingly personal—a sonic journal entry about shedding armor and stepping into the unknown.
“I’m not here to chase streams or focus on numbers,” he says. “I want to make art that’s real. Art that connects. That means something.”

Photo Courtesy: Charles Moret
More Than a Musician—A Growing Vision
Charles isn’t just creating songs; he’s developing a philosophy. Raised between extremes and now navigating the edge of a music industry often focused on virality, he’s carving a space that prioritizes truth over trends. He talks about art as service. About music as protest. About showing up for people in ways algorithms can’t.
“In a few years, I hope to be on the front lines—defending our freedoms, using my platform to speak up. This isn’t just about music. It’s about purpose.”
For a guy who used to hide his songs, Charles Moret is now hard to overlook. He’s not just one of many Gen Z male songwriters emerging today; he’s the kind of artist who reminds you why music matters in the first place.
Listen to “Powder” and explore Charles Moret’s world on his website, TikTok, or Instagram.
Published by Joseph T.