King Charles, born Charles Costa on 6 May, 1985 is an
independent singer-songwriter from West London. Charles plays the
guitar, piano, and cello. He is also a classically trained singer and
performed in his school's choir. Having been writing music from the
age of seventeen, in 2009, he won the International Songwriting
Competition by unanimous vote.
After studying sociology for two terms at Durham University,
Charles returned to London in 2007, adopted the pseudonym
King Charles, and formed a band, Adventure Playground, which
toured with Laura Marling and Noah and the Whale before disbanding
in 2008.[3] He has also gone on tour around the UK and The
United States alongside Mumford and Sons.
In 2010 he became the first ever Brit to win the International
Songwriting Competition in Nashville – judged by Tom Waits, Jeff
Beck, Loretta Lynn and Jerry Lee Lewis – and was signed by
Universal Republic/Island as a result. After signing a global contract
with Universal Republic through his UK independent label Mi7
Records, King Charles recorded his debut album, Loveblood,
in Hollywood, CA. It was released on 8 May 2012.