We recently connected with Caroline Dare and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Caroline, thanks for joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I always knew I wanted to be a creative! I’ve known since I was little. Now that I’m living a creative life full time, I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. Being a full time musician is most definitely a real job & not an easy one. It’s still my dream job though. I love working independently & being my own boss. I get to manage my own schedule & take time away if I need to. It’s allowed me to find a work/life balance. I hate the feeling of being boxed in & not being able to do my own thing. I’ve had experience working in the food service industry, and it was a huge wake up call for me. I was drained & felt like I was settling for something I didn’t want. Being an artist has helped me get to know myself & understand why I function the way I do. It has allowed me to remain ambitious & excited for my future.

Caroline, 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?

Caroline Dare is a 21 year old Nashville, TN based pop songwriter/artist, mental health advocate, and certified cat mom. Originally from North Carolina, Caroline made the permanent move to Nashville at age 18 after travelling back and forth from her home state since the age of 12. During those early years, she focused on her songwriting, guitar, performance, and vocal skills to build a strong foundation for the future. She also started posting her original songs on social media at an early age which has now grown into a loyal organic fanbase which is witnessed by the daily messages she receives from fans on how her music has changed their lives.
Caroline is immersed in the Nashville songwriting community and has started hosting early shows at the Bluebird Café and frequent rounds at The Listening Room Café. She is also an active member with ASCAP who nominated her for the prestigious Peggy Lee Songwriter Award which recognizes songwriters who demonstrate intelligent use of language, talent, and career potential. Her recent projects have been produced with hitmaker Nick Wheeler of The All-American Rejects (“Gives You Hell, “Dirty Little Secret”) at the helm who says of Caroline, “Caroline is a master of melody, and after working with her for almost 4 years now, I can honestly say that she puts in the work, and it shows in her growth as a songwriter and a storyteller.”

Caroline maintains the same integrity in 2022. It’s already shaping up to be another landmark year for the songstress. Originally identified by the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) as “One To Watch” for a solo composition at age 11, she garnered two song nominations at the 2022 NSAI Member Awards with “Heart Problem” winning the song feedback category top prize. She also cracked the NSAI Top 40 three times in the last year.
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As for the future, Caroline is looking forward to displaying her artistry and bringing her infectious melodies, hooks, and harmonies to the fans who have supported her over the years in addition to those who will be discovering her music for the first time.

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

It truly fuels my heart when I am able to help support others in their mental health journeys through my music. I often write about things that are very particular to what I am personally going through. Writing is my coping mechanism. I am so grateful for the response I get whenever I am musically vulnerable & so wonderfully surprised when so many people tell me that I’ve helped them get through their own situations. We are all living under different circumstances, but we all feel the same emotions. The connection I feel through sharing my music fuels my purpose & spirit.

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

Social media is ever-changing, which can be frustrating & exciting at the same time. I started posting videos every week on YouTube when I was 14 years old. YouTube was definitely a bigger platform at the time & I felt like I found my groove on there while still staying genuine to myself as a person & as an artist. I built a following on there after a couple videos did really well. There started to be more of a demand for me to release music. I stayed very consistent with replying back to my followers & staying engaged. There are so many trends out there. I would advise against chasing trends unless you feel like you can put your own unique twist on it. Stay true to yourself. Sustainability is everything. Going viral isn’t always the best thing – I have been viral before & it wasn’t what I wanted. Keep posting even if you’re not getting much exposure. Patience, consistency & sustainability are important values I have when it comes to social media.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carolinedaremusic.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/carolinedaremusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarolineDareMusic/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/cdaremusic
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/user/CarolineDareMusic
• Other: TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@carolinedaremusic

Image Credits
Olivia McEwen Rachel Deeb