“We won’t be calling:” James Charles releasing new single ‘Call Me Back’ on streaming platforms sparks backlash

James Charles, the American YouTuber and makeup artist, released his first original song called Call Me Back on Friday, February 9, 2024. He also organized an intimate listening party for fans on Thursday.

Disclaimer: The article contains mentions of alleged sexual misconduct of minors. Reader's discretion is advised.

Known for his makeup skills and for collaborating with big names from the entertainment industry, the beauty guru was accused on multiple occasions by several boys and men of grooming them. In 2021, Charles, 21, at the time, allegedly sent lewd photographs and inappropriate s*xual messages to a then-16-year-old fan.

However, the artist expressed that he was misled into believing the boy was 18 and that he blocked him as soon as he learned the truth, as per Cosmopolitan.

Following the song's release, many netizens flocked to social media to praise it, while others criticized James' singing abilities and stated that they would not listen to it.

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James Charles surprises netizens with first-ever song Call Me Back

James Charles has been a leading figure among makeup and beauty influencers. He made a YouTube channel in December 2015, where he began posting makeup tutorials. The posts soon went viral, and the artist became the first male brand ambassador for cosmetics brand CoverGirl in October 2016.

Since then, he has achieved great success making videos with several celebrities, including the Kardashians, Doja Cat, Kesha, Madison Beer, and more, as per People. However, he faced a public backlash after several minors and men accused James Charles of sharing inappropriately graphic images with them on Snapchat.

The artist has denied all the accusations and seems to have moved to a new field of entertainment. James Charles released his new song, Call Me Back, on Friday. He posted across all his social media accounts with the caption,

"SURPRISE… My first ever song, CALL ME BACK ☎️ is now streaming on all platforms. The song is all about learning how to find closure within getting ghosted, something I struggled with for a very long time. I’ve been keeping this secret for more than a year now… I hope you hear how much this project means to me, and I hope you love it as much as I do. Talk soon 🤍"

A day before the release, James Charles held a small listening party for his fans, as per iHeart. A viral video from the event showed the beauty star belting the emotional track in front of what seemed to be a house burning down on the stage. He told his followers during the event that,

"Writing and producing this song over the last year has been such an incredible experience, but nothing could have compared to sharing it with my fans and seeing their excitement."

Netizens posted their opinions about James's new release on social media platforms, with many expressing disinterest..

James Charles has 23.9 million YouTube subscribers and 20.7 million Instagram followers. He launched his own vegan, cruelty-free beauty brand, Painted, on August 7, 2023, as per E! News.