We were lucky to catch up with Jackie Castro recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jackie, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

My debut album ‘Thank you for your patience.’ is by far the most meaningful project I’ve worked on in my career to date. It took so much to make it happen and I’m so proud of everything I put into it. It started with me leaving the previous band I was in, walking away from a record deal, moving to Nashville to find my own sound, finding a whole new group of co-writers and collaborators, and spending 2 years writing all the stories of my early 20’s in a way that sounds like me. It was me working multiple jobs and going to writing sessions after work, it was late nights dreaming big, it was support from my family and friends telling me to keep going, and it was me believing in myself enough to do it.

When it came time to put the album together I launched a Kickstarter to fund the project, and my fans raised over $10,000 to help me make this dream come true. It was surreal to see the love and support that surrounded me and it was so special that my fans could be a part of making this album a reality.

Jackie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’ve been writing songs and singing for as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest baby videos are of me singing songs I’d written while playing with my dolls as a toddler. I always knew it’s what I wanted to do when I grew up. When I was 12 years old, my brother was a finalist on American Idol. He went from singing songs alone in his dorm room at college, to one year later playing arenas around the country. It was that moment that made the dream really real for me. It let me know if I wanted it bad enough, and I worked hard, anything could happen. So I got to work writing songs, learning how to play guitar, and singing backup for my brother any chance I could get. I released a couple songs in high school and by the time I got to college my brothers Jason & Michael and I decided to start a band together, Castro. In 2016 I was fresh out of college and went straight to Nashville to sign my first record deal. It was truly a dream come true. We were a folk/pop trio and our sound was heavily acoustic based with strong 3 part harmonies. With the release of our EP ‘Diamond Dreams’ debuting at #1 on the Singer/Songwriter charts on iTunes and gaining over 9 million streams on Spotify, we made a national television appearance on The Wendy Williams Show and toured with acts like Andy Grammer and Gavin DeGraw. I learned so much during my days in Castro.

In 2018, it was time for me to part ways and find my own voice. I walked away from the band, and the record deal, and moved to Nashville to find my sound and develop my artistry within the pop community. In doing so, I realized I had a story to tell. My sound is a mix of whimsical melodies, lush vocals, a balance of synths and acoustic instruments, and honest songwriting. When it comes to writing my own songs, telling my stories truthfully is so important to me. I want to be as real as possible and I love getting to connect with my fans when lyrics resonate with them.

I’m now a completely independent artist and am so proud of all I’ve been able to accomplish with my small but mighty team. With editorial playlist features such as Spotify’s Fresh Finds, Apple’s New Music Daily, Pandora’s Mellow Pop and the #2 song on the Radio Disney charts with “Trust Issues” in 2020, I’m continuing to find my own path and chase my dreams wherever they take me.

I just released by latest single “Lemons” featuring a fellow Dallas native, Daniella Mason! I’m continuing to explore my sound and push the boundaries of my creativity.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Being an artist can be incredibly difficult. To constantly put yourself out there – your thoughts and feelings, hopes and dreams – in such a vulnerable way only to have your success measured in streams, sales, followers and likes, can be extremely disheartening. I was once told that all you have to do to make it in the music industry is not quit, because everyone else who doesn’t want it as bad as you do will quit and leave the path clear for you. I think about that often when I need a reason to push me to keep going. Your love for creating art has to be greater than everything else to be able to make it in this industry. You have to do it cause you love it, not cause you expect something to happen for you. I applaud artists who get up every day and keep going, because they know they have a story to tell and that their art will have an impact on someone out there.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is knowing that my music can help people feel something that maybe they didn’t know how to express themselves. I love it when someone messages me that my song voiced exactly the way they felt before they even knew how to explain it. To be able to help people process, heal, experience joy, and all the emotions we go through in life is such an honor that I don’t take for granted.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jackiecastromusic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejackiecastro/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejackiecastro/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheJackieCastro
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialJackieCastro

Image Credits
Hannah Burton, Ashtin Paige, Victoria Roth