We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Caley Rose. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Caley below.

Caley, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

My Dirty Little Secret to Achieving Success:

Hi! I’m Caley Rose. I’m a singer & songwriter whose songs have been on the Billboard Charts in 2022 and used by Lipton, Adobe, documentaries and more. I also have a secret. I have another job, which is working as a voice over actress. My voice has been used in commercials for McDonalds, RedBull, and many more Fortune 500 companies.

I’ve been so thankful to earn a full time living from my creative work.
Here’s my advice on how to earn a full time living as a creative:

1. Have NO Shame in Your Game: As humans, we feel most comfortable being able to categorize things and people. We like to put people in a box, because finding a one word descriptor is, simply, easier for our brains to digest. A multi-hyphenate person confuses us! That’s why I introduce myself as a singer-songwriter FIRST, then I’ll reveal the secret to people that I’m a voice actor, THEN maybe I’ll add the fun surprise that I’m the mom of a toddler. It’s too much for people to take in all at once! There’s NO shame in using another income source to fuel your creative work. In fact, it puts less pressure on the creative work you’re making. Just make sure you carve out time for your creativity amidst your money-making, which is a real challenge, I know!
2. Be The Hardest Working Person You Know: I have often been told by friends that I’m the person who’s willing to do certain “business related” tasks that other musicians don’t want to do. Doing this has helped me gain the success I’ve gained in my two creative careers. The hustle isn’t always fun. The creative part tends to be much more fun. Sitting in songwriting sessions is more enjoyable to me than sitting and cranks out emails or writing spreadsheets in order to pay people. So, be that hard working person who’s willing to do the hard things. The hard stuff passes, and, ADDENDUM ALERT, it’s also important is to maintain balance in your life. Love is the most important thing, and if you work TOO hard, you’ll burn out. I’ve definitely done that!
3. Use the Business Part of Your Brain As Much as You use the Creative Part (Maybe More): I attribute so much of my success to basic business principles like dogged persistence, being kind (that IS networking), and knowing how to talk money. When I write an email to an agent or a licensing company, I know how to pitch my music by mentioning the money making credits early on. I’ve gotten educated in music business and marketing. Use that business knowledge.
4. When you have a talent, it’s your job to share it. There’s no room to be shy. When I wanted to get into voice over, I made a rudimentary demo and sent it to as many voice over agencies I could find. One of those agencies gave me a chance and brought me in to record a more professional demo. When I met the writer who wrote a hit Sarah McLachlan song, and he shocked me by asking me to sing right then and there, I did it. I would’ve regretted it if I didn’t! When you know you have something special, the world needs it.
5. When someone tells you it’s impossible, (or “it’s insular,” or “there’s no room for another person to work in that industry,”) use that as FUEL. Get an education in the area you’re passionate about, never stop getting educated, and KEEP TRYING. It IS possible. There is someone doing what you love, making a living doing what you love. If you can see that that person exists, that person can also be YOU.

Caley, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Billboard Charting artist, Caley Rose, is an award winning Pop Singer & Songwriter whose music has been featured on Top 40 radio, in commercials, & in film. She empowers women & youth with her “Music with a Message” Program in which she speaks about confidence in schools across the country.

Her latest release, “Honest Woman” placed in the pop category of the 2020 John Lennon Songwriting Awards. Her next song, “Chasing Boys” releases January 13th.

This former opera and Off-Broadway singer’s songs have been featured in commercials for Lipton, Adobe, the Tomorrowland Music Festival, documentaries, and on Telemundo (La Voz) and have received awards from the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, the Empower Posi Music Awards, Grants from KC Arts, and more.

She has played SOLD OUT shows at Hotel Cafe, SoFar Sounds, and legendary venues from NY to Seattle to LA. She is currently on a cross country tour in her self-renovated airstream trailer, “The Shiny Twinkie.”

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

For 20 years, I thought I wanted to be on Broadway. Then I read “The Secret” and gave myself the time and space to ask myself what I REALLY wanted to do. The music I loved was pop music. I saw myself in recording studios, not on Broadway stages. Realizing that I have one life and that I can truly do anything in life, because there are people living my dream life and I can do, set me on a path filled with bliss and miracles. Suddenly the path became illuminated and clear in front of me. Serendipities started happening all over the place.

Asking myself what I REALLY wanted to do in my one life was the best thing I ever did. Giving myself the time and space to learn about myself and my goals was the best thing I ever did. I highly recommend it!

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

“Just ship it.” I overanalyze and criticize myself so harshly. It inhibits what I create on social media. When I look around and see 17 year olds putting themselves out there so much more on social media: being vulnerable, sharing everything, not wearing makeup, it inspires me to give even more of myself to my audience and to stop being so precious about what I put on social media..

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hypeddit.com/8c6dr1
• Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/caleyrose/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaleyRose/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caleyrose/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/caleyrose
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/caleyrose
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5IwTDqAUsKvQvT5iJVzYIs?si=jZSc3dblTMGAp4NWgkJdVw Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/caley-rose/490367784

Image Credits
Image Credits: Reina More Photography & Javon Charleston at Simply Wavy