Charlie Castell ’s latest release, “Where Were the Grown Ups,” is more than just a song—it’s a searing indictment of a broken social order. Featuring 13-year-old Natalia Eremiasova’s haunting vocals, this track stands as a centerpiece of Castell’s forthcoming album Beautiful Apocalypse, due out on October 30th. As the second single from the project, it sets an emotionally charged tone, weaving together Castell’s experiences as a parent with the stark reality of America’s turbulent political landscape.
What makes “Where Were the Grown Ups” so effective is its simplicity—Eremiasova’s plaintive voice, soft and searching, asks the kind of questions that leave adults speechless. The song was inspired by a moment of deep personal reflection for Charlie Castell, sitting in his daughter’s third-grade classroom, surrounded by posters of school rules like “Be Kind” and “Don’t Be a Bully,” while a picture of the 45th president loomed over the room. The hypocrisy hit hard. How do we teach children values in a world where those in power flout them?
The song doesn’t preach or offer easy answers; instead, it asks a question many have struggled with since 2016: Where were the grown-ups? Charlie Castell channels his frustration and disillusionment into a poignant ballad, with the innocence of a child’s voice amplifying the magnitude of the moral failure at the highest levels of leadership.
The accompanying music video, animated by Oliver Rodriguez using the children’s app Procreate, underscores the song’s impact by highlighting the harsh realities kids faced in 2020: the confusion of wearing masks, the fear of school shootings, and the divisive rhetoric that seeped into their homes. It’s a visual commentary on how children became unwilling witnesses to a toxic political climate that often lacked empathy and basic human decency.
This release follows “My America,” another emotionally charged anthem from Beautiful Apocalypse, in which Charlie Castell reflects on the ideals the country was built upon—and how far we’ve strayed. The album seems poised to become a musical manifesto, pushing listeners to reflect on their role in shaping the future.
Ultimately, “Where Were the Grown Ups” is a lament not just for the children, but for the adults who failed to protect them. It’s Castell’s way of challenging us to rise to the occasion, to live the lessons we’re so quick to teach but so reluctant to practice.
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