Károly Horváth, known professionally as Charlie, was born on October 28, 1947, in Ondód, Hungary. He began his career as a ballet dancer before transitioning to music, singing with Hungarian rock bands in the mid-1960s and gaining national recognition as a member of Decca and Olympia. In the 1970s, Charlie spent time in Africa leading the band Afriaca, which sparked an interest in funk and soul music. Upon returning to Hungary, he formed Generál, which toured Europe before disbanding in 1979. He went solo in 1994, releasing several albums that reached the Hungarian charts, including "A holnap már nem lesz szomorú," which represented Hungary at the Eurovision Song Contest 1998 in Birmingham, finishing twenty-third. Notable awards include the Liszt Ferenc Prize (1997) and the Petofi Music Award (2020).