Harmonically-rich vocals and soul filled alternative R&B tracks are what Florida native artist Cassandra Jewel is known for. Born with a burning passion for music and performing, Cassandra made her way north to New York to pursue her dreams. She faced trials and tribulations that shaped her into the vulnerable and creative artist she is today. Her sensual vocals fused with expansive songwriting abilities make for powerhouse tracks that listeners from all spectrums of genres of music can relate to.
Emerging artist, Cassandra Jewel’s newest single “Time” focuses on the power of being comfortable with yourself and who you truly are. Being in tune with who you really are and embracing the power of knowing yourself. The subtle piano draws in the listener while Cassandra’s vocals take over on top of a hot R&B beat. Cassandra Jewel’s lyricism brings light to internal human struggle. “Time” gives us a retrospective look at Cassandra’s outlook on life and her story. Cassandra focuses on the power of self-discovery, subconscious fears and healing. Stay on the lookout for this spectacular artist upcoming EP, set to release this summer! Listen to "Time" here!
Hi Cassandra! Your voice is incredible! What age did you start singing?
Thank you! I started singing at the age of three. I'll never forget it. I was cast as the beast in "Beauty and the Beast." It's hilarious to me. I guess it was my long hair which looked like a mane that got me the part. I grew up singing all the time. It didn't matter what it was, I was always singing. I was very involved in musical theatre for a while which definitely helped me develop the gift of storytelling. Interestingly enough, it wasn't until very recently I found my voice and my sound. I connected with the way that I was yearning to express myself truthfully; I connected with my soul. What led me to that was getting out of my head and my comfort zone and allowing myself to be free.
Have you ever struggled to be vulnerable within your lyrics?
Being vulnerable with my lyrics is something that has always come naturally. Overall what I sing about are experiences I have been through, struggles, and my own thoughts and desires. What I would say I have been struggling with lately is trying to find the balance between being really personal, and being relatable. I catch myself overthinking this. Maybe I should stop.
What challenges have you faced as an up and coming artist? How do you overcome those challenges?
Two big challenges would be the "feeling" of self-doubt and social media. I want to be real when I talk about this because God knows how I struggle mentally and how a lot of us artists do. I want to say that we hold our fears in our subconscious- whether it's due to traumatic experiences, something someone has said to us that put us down, or anything negative we have have taken on and believed to be true. And if we don't release these things, we can carry this programming for our whole life. This is crazy to say but when I was just beginning, I had to force myself to stay positive. That low feeling would always be there lurking. I had to get to a point where I asked myself "Where the heck is this coming from? And why??" How I overcome this feeling is by being aware of it and not dismissing it. If it comes, why? What's triggered? What's the stupid fear? Then I will let it go. THAT'S KEY. I had to train myself to become more aware of what was going on within me and I had to train myself to practice feeling GOOD. Once I started caring more about feeling good rather than living in fear, things got easier. It is still an everyday practice. What i'll say about social media is to be careful and don't believe everything you see and read. It absolutely can be used for the light but illusion is a real thing. Comparing your life to someone else's is a waste of beautiful time that you could be using to focus on your craft. Everyone has their journey and the right timing for them. Start enjoying yours and trust your vision. I have a song about social media on my EP. It's called "HYMN" and it's one of my favorite records! I absolutely cannot wait to share it!! I overcome this challenge by being aware and reminding myself of everything I just said. :)
What was your upbringing into music like? Do you have any influences that stand out?
My upbringing into music was all over the place in the best way possible. My parents are music lovers as well so they inspired a lot of who I listen to now. I remember I was around 7 years old when my mom forced me to listen and watch every single one of Michael Jackson's music videos. From then on, I was set. I love all music. I don't have a favorite genre or anything like that. I have many influences but my muse is Erykah Badu. Her music helped guide me. It helped me heal, and inspired me to create like I never had before. Another huge influence for me is 6lack. It is because of him I was inspired to write the way I do. He is a lyrical genius and I hope to connect with him in the future. I hope to connect with both these legends!
Do you have an exact release date for your upcoming EP?
Keep your eyes and ears open for July 2019.
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