Pop sensation CASSANDRA dazzles us with her striking singing and songwriting abilities with her latest single, “Drinking Games.” As a trained opera singer, CASSANDRA has a vast vocal range that spans over four octaves. With her fierce and unmatched sound, she showcases her gift to seamlessly weave in and out of tricky vocal runs that would have most singers tripping up.
As an artist, her goal is never to treat two songs the same, thus developing a new sound for each one. With “Drinking Games,” we are showered with sassy yet empowering lyrics that have CASSANDRA standing out from the crowd.
Delving into the captivating animation that the Country meets Pop fusion carries forth, “Drinking Games,” has us falling into the depths of the poised yet gritty performance put on display. CASSANDRA exudes the ultimate sass as she cascades us in her blissful vocals. Through each element in the instrumentation quickly chugging along at a mid-tempo rate, we anticipate where this winding road of CASSANDRA is leading us to. Lush harmonies lay in the background components as we focus our attention on the glorious execution that she effortlessly sheds in this composition.
Holding all trademarks of a signature anthem, CASSANDRA wanted to drive home the fact that she won’t let boys play with her heart. Using her Pop pedigrees and dusting a little Country zest on the fortified foundation of her talents, CASSANDRA has us singing to the beat of her drum as each memorable word stays heavy on our noggin.
Garnering the attention that CASSANDRA deserves as an emerging Pop artist, she takes us into her own world by expressing herself through her intricate storytelling method and, in return, has us descending into her effervescent persona. With hits like “Drinking Games,” we can’t wait to see which path this singing powerhouse takes us on next.
Congratulations on the release of “Drinking Games.” You’re a master at storytelling and we truly loved this track! What inspired you to write this specific record?
Thank you! "Drinking Games" stems from my friends and I having experiences in which guys were only interested in contacting us late at night or when they were drunk. Whenever I receive a message like this, I make sure the guy knows I’m not interested. My team and I worked together to write a song about this while highlighting the inner security a person must have to turn down a late-night text and instead search for meaningful relationships. I’ve had experiences where I really liked a guy, but he wasn’t interested in a true relationship. Although I wanted to see him, I felt it was better to walk away and stay true to myself.
Could you please share a glimpse of what the creative process was like when bringing this song to life?
After conversations about the topic of “Drinking Games,” my writers, Bryan Ruby, Fran Litterski, and Cole Miracle, came to me with the first verse and chorus of this song. I remember Bryan calling me one day and saying they had started writing a hit for me and thought I’d like it. I received a short clip of Fran, also known by her artist name, Effee, singing the melody while playing chords on the piano. My co-writers and I could already hear the full production in our heads while listening to the piano-track work tape. I heard the first verse lyrics and immediately resonated with the song. Soon after, I had a Zoom call with my writers and together we finished “Drinking Games”. It was so exciting to see this collaborative experience come to fruition despite being online. Fast forward a few weeks to the studio recording, and we had a blast creating new harmonies for the song and making changes to the verses and vocal inflections. It was my first time in a Nashville studio, so it was particularly neat to experience the creative process of recording “Drinking Games.” Every inflection, “Mm-hmm!”, “Yeah right!”, and “Whoop!” has a story behind it!
By taking a different approach to each song you create; what types of influences do you allow to speak into the music that you create?
Every song I create has a certain level of heart, value, and family, poured into it. I think and act with my heart and this helps as I trust myself to come up with melodies and harmonies alongside my co-writers. My values are at the front and center of my mind when I write. I want my music to be authentic, so I make sure everything I sing reflects the way I talk, think, and feel. There’s a fun balance between making something lyrically appealing while keeping it real, and I love working on that! Finally, family factors into my songwriting. I want to produce music that showcases my family values. I have little cousins and grandparents and parents, and I want to make sure that the music I write and sing highlights the values I know would make them proud.
In terms of themes and messages, what would you like your listeners to take away from the music that you create?
My music radiates strength, empowerment, inner security, and overall happiness. As listeners tune in, I hope they find two underlying messages. The first message is that following your heart and staying true to your own values will ALWAYS make you happier at the end of the day. No matter the situation and no matter how difficult it may be, stay true to yourself and you will watch yourself thrive. The second message can be summed up in something I once said to a friend: “Doors open and close all the time, but if you’re not looking for a door, you’ll never see one.” I just don’t give up and because of this, I create opportunities for myself. It’s risky at times and forces me to be vulnerable, but if I always bet on myself, I know that I’ll be one step closer to achieving my dreams. Wake up every day and try to reach a little higher and work a little harder and before you know it, you’ll have already achieved the next step toward your goals.
What do you hope this new year brings for you and your music?
In 2021 I am excited to release my first EP! This will release through March of 2021 and then I plan to release another EP in the summer. I’m looking forward to releasing this and hopefully connecting with my fans in person at a live performance later this year!
