Credit: Shawnee Custalow
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Dreamy yet down-to-earth, singer-songwriter CJ Temple distills her vibrant personality and chaotic emotions into stirring anthems that hover between indie folk and serene, modern pop. Her music comes from deep within, borne by a lifelong love of singing and laced with homemade, hip-hop-inspired beats that transform the songs into what she calls “ethereal bedroom pop.” CJ’s distinctly smooth vocals have been compared to artists like Annie Lennox, Sarah McLachlan, and Amy Lee, but her agile range and empathetic approach to songwriting set her apart: “The way I see it, I’m creating a space, not selling you a product.” After years working in corporate America, struggling with self-doubt and mental health, CJ returned to music with a singular goal: to provide a space of calm amid the chaos. Her debut full-length album Smoke, set for release in late 2021, showcases her softness as well as her sharpness in eleven intimate, atmospheric tracks. “Music has always been what keeps me connected to my sense of self. I just want to make people comfortable, give someone a little moment to breathe.”
The daughter and granddaughter of opera singers, CJ spent her childhood singing in church choirs, surrounded by the gravitas of two early musical styles that helped shape the unique depth of her sound. Though she left the religious part behind, she developed a penchant for “the kind of music that’s so beautiful it’s almost painful,” later recognizing the same balance of joy and melancholy in contemporary secular acts like Bon Iver and Iron & Wine. She pursued vocal training throughout her teens, performed in show choirs, and fell in love with musical theater (which she continued in college). Her evolution as a songwriter began when she wrote her first official song at fifteen, finding an outlet that allowed her to tell stories and use her voice as an instrument. What began as a personal practice eventually led to posting songs on Soundcloud, but crippling fear kept her from seeking feedback or fame. In 2015 she composed the title track for a friend’s feature-length indie film before resigning herself to a corporate job. “I’d convinced myself it was just a hobby, so I quit before I even started. Self-preservation is cute until it robs you of your passion.”
What led CJ back to music was, oddly enough, TikTok. Inspired by the lighthearted nature of the video platform and the wild creativity of its members, she began posting covers in 2020, then her own originals, finding both an outlet and a following for her candor and self-deprecating charisma. Her audience grew to one million followers in nine months, and when those followers began requesting songs, she started singing more, reigniting a passion for what she’d always loved most. She was discovered via TikTok by Nashville artist manager Erin Anderson, who encouraged CJ to record and release an album. “Music heals me, and for years I didn’t let myself feel that joy. I had thirteen songs on my computer written, just sitting there. I realized I wanted to share them.” Those songs, which offered a glimpse into CJ’s private life from ages eighteen to thirty-three, became the basis for her debut album Smoke. In February 2021, Anderson helped her launch a Kickstarter campaign to fund the album, raising forty thousand dollars of support from friends and followers.
A collection of stunning, narrative songs driven by well-crafted vocal melodies and supported by symphonic swells, Smoke represents everything that clouds the good in life: depression, anxiety, sadness, and struggle. It’s what you have to wade through to get to the other side. Recorded and produced in Nashville by Josh Kaler (Marc Scibilia, William Fitzsimmons, Frances Cone), the album feels intricately polished yet somehow raw. CJ has the chops of a seasoned a capella singer paired with a vulnerable, self-aware lyrical style and a knack for lush, well-placed harmonies. Her smooth voice seems to float over the mix, creating a compelling style that feels both expansive and pure (think Imogen Heap meets Depeche Mode). With elegant, thoughtful lyrics drawn from personal experience, the songs explore themes of love and sadness with characteristic authenticity. “It’s the culmination of everything, right? Love and sadness. Put 'em together and that’s life.”