Nuela Charles, born Manuela Wüthrich, is a singer-songwriter who was born in Kenya, and raised in Switzerland, Canada, and the Bahamas. She would eventually settle in Canada, residing in Edmonton, Alberta. She was inspired by music from a young age, hearing her father play blues riffs on an old acoustic guitar, which she eventually taught herself how to play. Inspired by great female artists like Whitney Houston, Fefe Dobson, and Michelle Branch, as well as the thrill of James Bond themes, her music is a fusion of alternative soul, pop, R&B, and hip hop. She is known for her soulful voice and lyrics, genre-hopping instrumentals, and captivating stage presence.

Charles’ recording career began in 2012 with her self-written, recorded, and produced album Aware, for which she received an Edmonton Music Prize for Album of the Year, a Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artists Award, and a nomination at the Western Canadian Music Awards. One track off the record, “Unfortunate Love” appeared in an indie film, and three TV shows, including Degrassi: Next Class. Charles’ was quickly signed to a publishing company after the success of her first record, but the deal eventually fell through as the company wanted to restrict her to working in only one genre. Soon, Charles discovered her love for co-writing. She made her second album, The Grand Hustle, alongside Toronto based producer Ari Rhodes in 2016. She began to explore co-writing more in the following years, meeting fellow writers through songwriting camps. In 2019, she released her third studio album, Melt, the title track being a co-write with producer and songwriter Rob Wells. On her most recent release, Nuela Charles (2022), she worked with LA based producer and mixing engineer, Matt Parad, creating self-love anthems, and music dedicated to her artistic journey.

In addition to being a recording artist, Charles has shared the stage with Canadian greats such as Jan Arden and the Stars, and the Sam Roberts Band. She has performed on various stages across the world, namely in London UK, the Reeperbahn Festival in Germany, and at the coveted “It’s A School Night” by personal invitation in the U.S. She is a three-time Juno nominee, holds three Western Canadian Music Awards, and has had her music featured in hit shows like Jane the Virgin and Tiny Pretty Things.

Award

• Edmonton Music Prize Album of the Year (2013).
• Western Canadian Music Award for Urban Artist of the Year (2017).
• Western Canadian Music Awards Pop Artist of the Year (2020) & (2022)