Singer-songwriter Cas Cleo has immersed herself in the world of music from a young age, always passionate about lyrics and crafting them to fit her own sound. She began her songwriting journey by using phrases and melodies from songs she had heard, and manipulating them into something that was entirely unique. She eventually made a move to Nashville, where she became a regular at the Listening Room Café, and now spends her time collaborating with other talent on singles that are set to be released in 2020.
Cas Cleo’s most recent release, “Ghosts”, is a folksy and calming track, with a slower tempo and minimal instrumentation. Her voice truly shines behind the simple acoustics. This allows emphasis on the serene and meaningful lyrics. Cas Cleo’s voice is light and airy, with a smooth tone that is a pleasure to listen to. Nashville’s influences on her music are apparent within the soft acoustics. The lyrics speak to the listener, a characteristic that comes with many country & folk songs. Cas Cleo demonstrates her gift of lyricism with beautiful lines that allow listeners to appreciate the things that life has given you. She sings “being alive is not the things you do, but the moments with the people who love you”. This song will resonate with her listeners and form a connection with them that goes beyond the music itself.
Listen to "Ghosts" here.
Hi Cas Cleo, and welcome to BuzzMusic! What is your favorite part about “Ghosts”, and what would you say stands out about it compared to your previous tracks? Ghosts is definitely the happiest song I have ever released, which is part of the reason I released it. I was really on the fence about whether or not I should release it in the beginning just because it felt so different than the other music I had put out. After sending it to a few close friends and family they wondered why I even would question the decision to put it out. It’s really sort of intimidating to release songs that don’t fit with what I usually put out, but it was exciting to see the response at the same time.
“Ghosts” in particular contains lyrics with much depth and meaning, where do you draw inspiration from, and what does a typical songwriting session look like for you? When it comes to writing, lyrics are the most important aspect to me. When writing this I was wondering, “how do I write a song that’s about living in the moment but also not overly cheesy or.. happy I guess?”. I have a pretty dark sense of humor that I incorporate into a lot of things along with a vast knowledge of supernatural type things, (don’t ask why haha) so I decided “why don’t I write a song about enjoying life, from the perspective of someone who is dead? A ghost.” All of the songs I’ve released so far I’ve written alone, although I have been doing more co-writing recently. When I write alone I usually just have to get really in my head (if I’m not already) and once I sit down with my guitar, all the lyrics sort of pour out of me within 20 minutes. It’s rare that it takes me longer than that and if it does I usually stop because I never want to force anything. It can sort of be a surreal experience, sometimes I’ll be hearing lyrics come out of my mouth for the first time and wonder where they came from. Sometimes I sing words that I don’t think I even know the meaning of and then I have to go google them after, but they always seem to work, it’s like my subconscious kind of takes over.
How did your upbringing influence your music, and how have you evolved as an artist since you began songwriting? I grew up with my parents always playing their different genres of music around the house. My dad liked to play Blues/ Rock and my mom liked to play Celtic Folk music. So I guess me choosing to write Folk, (sometimes Folk-Rock) that can sort of lean on the more melancholy side, makes sense, almost like I blended both of their favorite genres. I would say now that I am almost finished releasing my first 5 singles that I recorded at the same time in my life, I definitely have a better understanding of how I want to move forward as an artist. I have a better ear for production than I did before recording the 5 songs, as well as a better understanding of what people want to hear.
Thank you for taking the time to chat with us today, Cas Cleo! Where is this next year going to take you, and can you give any details on upcoming singles?
So this year I will definitely be playing a lot more shows than I have previously, as well as working on writing new material. I hope to record some new songs toward the middle of this year as well. I will be releasing the last song of the 5 singles I have put out in the past year. It’s the last in the series, but actually the oldest of all of the songs. It was one of the first songs I wrote when I moved to Nashville, and it might be my new favorite of the 5. I should be releasing it in late March or April. I posted a little sneak peek of it on my Instagram (@cas.cleo) because I couldn’t wait and the response has already been amazing, so I am really excited!