Vents MagaZine Music and Entertainment Magazine
Related Articles
1.) We’re very excited to be speaking today with acclaimed singer and songwriter Cassie Fireman; greetings and salutations, Cassie! Before we meander down the proverbial Q&A pathway, how is the New Year treating you thus far?
Hi! Great so far. So much has happened! I just got back from a wedding in Mexico and before that I was in Costa Rica hosting our 10th annual surf, guitar and yoga retreat. I’m releasing music I’ve been working on for 3 years and it feels so good finally getting it out there.
2.) Major congratulations on the brand-spankin’ new single Chase which just premiered! Chase is such a heartfelt (and fun!) gem; how did this unforgettable tune come into being?
Why thank you! Gosh, it’s been awhile since I wrote this but I think it was when the pandemic first hit and I wasn’t in a great place mentally. I was questioning everything and could make sense of nothing. I started thinking I couldn’t ever truly be happy in a long term relationship and I judged myself for having those thoughts.
I wasn’t sure what my needs were but I knew I needed time and working on my solo album gave me the space I needed to come back home to myself and to get clarity on how I wanted to move forward.
Taking pen in hand and writing this song felt like going to the gym and wrestling all the parts of me fighting to convince myself that in one way or another I’m doomed.
To me, Chase is a celebration of going into those dark spaces that feel difficult to move through and discovering light in the places I’d least expect.
3.) How is Chase similar to some of your past music? How is it different?
Chase is similar to the music I make with my band (Dirty Mae) because well… it’s still me (hi!), but the main difference is that every song on my solo album feels super personal. I have plenty of Dirty Mae songs close to my heart but my heart is more in your face with my new music. In my band, it’s easy to be wild and theatrical but with my own songs, there’s not much room to hide.
Dirty Mae has been described by some fans as New Orleans Ghost-Folk-Rock and while none of us really know what that means… I’d say the songs on my album have more of a sultry, pop based vibe. These days there are as many genres of music as there are funky names for cannabis strains. I can’t keep up.
4.) In your humble opinion, what differentiates Chase from all of the other music on the 2023 landscape?
Thanks for all these juicy questions! Hmmm…probably that I’m the only artist to have made The Dell Dude dress up as Spiderman and jump in the freezing ocean all in the name of art and exploring fears around monogamy.
It makes me giggle because I still feel like a little kid writing stories and plays to help me get through what’s hard. Expressing myself creatively is a tool that helps me process whatever I’m going through. So far it’s been working pretty well so I think I’ll stick with it.
5.) Who was your producer on Chase and what did the collaboration between artist and producer look like in the studio?
Again, thank you for asking because I’m always looking for excuses to gush over my team. Jordan Sherman and Monique Benabou were both producers on Chase (and a couple more tunes I’ll be releasing soon).
The three of us drove out to Joshua tree, rented a house and recorded out there. At first I was nervous, (I had never met them in person) but as we started working together, I noticed this beautiful chemistry emerging and I was able to just kinda let go and relax.
I set my mic up near the big kitchen window so I could look out and sing to the sun setting between the mountains. The sky was always this super bright purple and neon orange and hearing my song on headphones with this new, awesome beat and groove behind it, brought my song to life in a whole new way. It was a magical experience.
I insisted we all sing on the chorus. I imagined this huge lion leaping out of a cage and running across a white sand desert. I knew I wanted this big full choir sound with lots of harmonies and for the chorus to really hit, and Mo and Jordan worked together with me in the studio to build out that vision.
At one point I remember belting into the mic and feeling like this part of my voice got activated in a way it never had before. While I thought I sounded like a bear with a sore throat, I heard Jordan say “Ya, do that again!” and whatever the sound was, it was emotional. Something got unleashed in that moment and I felt supported by them. Mo is a ninja at guiding artists into creative spaces to bring out the best. I think we all felt proud of the music and it was a wonderful experience.
We’d wake up early each morning and record all day, sometimes into the night. We spent time listening back to tracks, pausing for feedback and ensuring that we continued building out the music in a way that also resonated with the story and message behind the song.
We shared meals and our hearts at the dinner table, where I was reminded that it’s possible to fall in love with strangers, and that we’re all deeply connected in ways that only music (and sometimes mushrooms)can make us feel.
6.) Can you introduce our readers to some of the other talented musicians that lent their musical alchemy to the creation of Chase?
Yes! Jordan Sherman is an amazing producer, a talented multi instrumentalist, is in an incredible band and a badass songwriting artist himself. You can find out more about Jordan and check out his amazing work on instagram @iamjordansherman. Monique Benabou is also an amazing artist, sound and vocal embodiment coach and has played an integral part in pushing me past my comfort zone in the development of my album. She has the voice of a pop rock angel and her songs are absolutley beautiful. You can also follow her @moniquebenabou.
7.) Did you have complete creative control on the music video for Chase?
Yes, I came up with the story line, wrote out the locations, shot list and directed the music video. I think this might also be a good time to introduce Pasha Teplo and Sej Saraya who shot, edited and worked as creative directors on Chase.
I absolutely love working with them both. Pasha is an incredible editor, who is always living in the moment and chasing the natural sunlight.
In the music video, he caught the scene of the white horse running on the beach as he skateboarded down a huge hill holding the camera. I remember seeing him and just hoping he wouldn’t fall/die (he didn’t). Sej is also super sharp, creative and is always thinking outside the box so working with the two of them is super fun! And we even managed to successfully sneak the camera onto the roller coaster and captured the infamous hands in the air shot.
Ben and I spray painted our wedding gowns a bunch of different colors in the Santa Monica parking lot. I wanted to represent that life can be messy, the opposite of perfect and that, that’s not only ok…but it can also be beautiful.
8.) What do you hope listeners walk away with after giving Chase copious spins on their turntables?
Sore shoulders from all the dancing and driving:) Possibly a tear, or a laugh of recognition and that whether in a relationship or not, it’s ok to be however you are and try to get/stay connected to WHO you are.
9.) With the release of this new single, can fans look forward to an LP release from you in 2023?
Well, I have four new songs coming out in the next few months and will be recording a couple new songs with my best friend and fellow artist (Dashielle, who I’ve known since I was 9). We’re recording at Sunwood Studios in NY next week. We’ve never been in the studio together before so I’m excited to see what we create!
10.) Touring-wise are you pretty booked up in the weeks and months after the release of Chase?
I’d like to have a secret album party at an undisclosed location in June. It’ll be an intimate acoustic set with storytelling and audience participation and that’s all I can say right now.
My band is playing at Inclusion Fest this July. Inclusion Festival is an accessible music and wellness festival designed to accommodate all ages and abilities. There will be sensory-friendly and immersive experiences. I love their mission and look forward to connecting with everyone there.
Between now and then I’ll be performing locally in and around the Hudson Valley in New York, NYC and a few festivals over the summer. I guess now is the time to say “And you too, can follow me on instagram @cassie_fireman
11.) Who inspires you musically?
I’m inspired by all kinds of music. I remember, I used to perform with an Afro-Cuban-Brazilian Dance company with live drumming and I was hooked. I think that was in college. I listened to this African Drumming CD for a year straight and blasted it in my dodge neon with all the windows down, everyday. Looking back now, that seems a little intense.
Classical music and lo-fi beats inspire me when writing, French Jazz or Brazilian samba is lovely while cooking and right now I’ve been listening to a mix of Brandie Carlile, Regina Spektor, Tori Amos, Stevie Nicks, Ani Difranco, Modest Mouse, Muddy Waters, Portishead, Sylvan Esso, Adele, & Etta James. I will forever be a sucker for 90’s pop and fan of Jewel.
12.) You’re an advocate for a cause which is near and dear to our hearts: Animal rights. What is it about this particular cause which inspires you?
I’ve felt from a young age that as people, it is our responsibiity to both care for the planet and protect the animals living on it. Instead, we’ve lost touch with the ways we’re meant to connect with the earth and have become the number one cause for wiping out nearly 70% of the world’s wildlife. I think that nature and animals can offer us powerful insight, if we’re willing to listen.
13.) Final – SILLY! – Question: Favorite movie about the music scene – This Is Spinal Tap, Almost Famous or La Bamba? I loved Almost Famous and La Bamba. Both are so good! I’m embarrassed to admit I haven’t seen This is Spinal Tap but now I’m excited to watch it and report back! Thanks so much for all your thoughtful questions!
Follow Cassie Fireman
https://www.cassiefireman.com/
https://www.instagram.com/cassie_fireman/
