We recently connected with Cassandra Johnson and have shared our conversation below.
Cassandra , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?
YES I am happy as a creative! Writing songs is so natural for me and I love having the freedom to do it because I’m not worn out from a full time job. I think about it most of the day and crave making beautiful sounds. I’m a curious person; finding new sounds and picking the brains of other creatives that I adore keeps me inspired.
However, I recently had a spell that made me nearly change course. Being so wrapped up in my solo EP release, my band Astronomy Town, multiple back burner projects, AND trying to continue my same pace of growth on guitar as I did in the pandemic, I didn’t notice burnout setting in. I had never gigged in my life and then suddenly I was gigging every weekend. I absolutely love performing, that might be my favorite part of music right after songwriting. However, I do not love the build up to gigs. Promoting on social media is soul sucking and I have major imposter syndrome…I get so anxious about my guitar and vocal skills and I set an outrageous standard for myself prior to each gig, even though I know that is not necessary. I didn’t notice that this cycle was training my mind to criticize everything about me. Showing up to my instrument meant I was in for a self-deprecation session. It was everything; my notes, my songs, my depth of knowledge, my body, my face, my posture, my lyrics, my dwindling joy. Nothing was good enough. I didn’t let myself experience life because it pulled me away from practicing. Two years of pushing hard to keep developing my guitar skills, songwriting, keeping my calendar full with gigs and no rest. Once January of 2025 hit I absolutely crashed. I was tense and angry every time I picked up my instrument or even when I thought I “should” be working on music. This led to having multiple anxiety attacks a week and I found it harder to keep up with my regular self-care. Worst of all, my self-talk became absolutely hostile.
I had to really start asking myself if I was cut out for a career in music. Was I not passionate enough like those around me? Was my ADHD diagnosis a nail in the coffin for consistency? So I started soul searching. I spent two months contemplating what I might do if I left music behind . I have always felt pulled to environmentalism and helping our planet against climate change. I considered going back to school for conservation or finding a basic full time job to pay the bills. I have worked enough odd jobs to learn what I like and what I don’t like – it turns out, having a career that pulls me away from my craft is NOT what I want my life to be.
I also spent those two months asking myself “what is MY unique passion for music?” and then it hit me. I was wrapped up in fulfilling an image of myself that I had painted based on other people’s idea of what I “should” be doing as a musician. As a people pleaser, I was listening to that more than my inner fire. I have been re-calibrating myself to center back to my personal path and passion for writing and music. It’s been really challenging but also incredible. I’m learning a lot about myself and how to hold myself in my own power. The clouds are clearing!
I’m much happier now that I had this reconing. I’m exploring new ways of writing that feel natural while letting myself experience life every day. I am excited to see what this new phase in creativity will look like for me!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am a singer/songwriter with a rich background in a range of musical study. I have been singing my whole life and I am currently teaching private vocal lessons. I moved to the Twin Cities from south-western North Dakota. I think my soft spot for folk and country/folk comes from my prairie roots. My Dad would often have me read the lyrics along with songs we listened to and we would dissect and interpret the writing right down to the syllable (John Prine was a common study). My Mom and Dad encouraged me to follow my creative fire and curiosity. I went to college for music which opened my eyes to the possibilities of a life in music beyond just singing in choir. Soon I could tell that songwriting and singing was where I felt the most natural, what I needed was the right tool to get my songs out.
When the pandemic started and we went into lock down I felt a pull toward learning electric guitar. I had tried songwriting on piano but I knew that was not my method and wanted to try something else. I fell in love with guitar so fast. I taught myself how to play very quickly by learning the basics as well as techniques by my favorite songwriters. I watched hours of YouTube videos on whatever interested me that day. I started an Instagram project called “Friday Riffday” where I posted a short clip of myself playing guitar, usually something I wrote that was inspired by a concept I had learned that week. I noticed my feed was full of shredders and advanced players, but I wanted to see the amatures who made mistakes and laughed it off. At first Friday Riffday was a way for me to share authentic playing, to hold myself accountable and to track my progress, but soon it caught the interest of others. I invited other musicians to join me and post their own riffs. We built a community of creatives that was supportive, fun, and diverse. People from all around the world participated. Friday Riffday is the reason I am where I am today and the opportunities I have had. I met my bandmates in Astronomy Town, I have been invited to play guitar with numerous local musicians, and my solo group has been asked to play gigs all through this project. I have now taken a distance from Friday Riffday so I can focus on other goals, but occasionally I will throw up a riff for old times!
Nowadays, my focus is on songwriting, performing, and producing. I recently released my first solo EP called “The Songs You Missed”. It’s a group of songs that fit a general theme of loss, longing, and loneliness. The EP was self recorded and produced, mostly because I wanted a challenge. Things were very DIY like recording vocals in my closet or learning how to mic a double bass in my friends basement. I had a clear promotion schedule and hosted a listening party to celebrate the release. There are a lot of layers and ear candy written in which was maybe my favorite part of the process. My mixing engineer Alex Johnson really helped bring each layer to life. I’m very proud of how it turned out and I had a lot of fun doing it! I’ve thought more and more about doing some producing on the side. I am currently crafting up my next round of releases under my name as well as a new instrumental project. I like writing music that makes people feel something. I often listen to music to help me cry or feel connected to a shared message so that’s what I am doing with my songs. I also like to make people think, my lyrics and guitar riffs are all intentionally crafted to be on the edge of what is predictable which I find really fun. My band Astronomy Town will be releasing our second EP in July of 2025. It’s nice to be in a group where I can write in a different style than my typical solo writing.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
The Music Lesson by Victor Wooten was life changing. It taught me things I didn’t learn in music school like how to be grateful for the ability to make music or how to let yourself become a vessel for creation, not a practice/scales machine. Showing gratitude for the ability to create, yourself, and even the instrument you’re playing is much greater than how fast you can play. It really encouraged me to imagine myself as a vessel for music; I need to be open and true to myself first, then the music will follow. He also mentions ways to rethink the basics of music like harmony, rhythm, dynamics ect… That all spoke to me much more than general music classes.
Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon. Really this book opened my eyes to the notion that no thought is ever original and there is no shame in being inspired by something someone else has created. The first time I put that in practice was to start writing songs with the same chord progression as songs I had learned – turns out that opens the door for songwriting much better than the pressure to be completely unique and groundbreaking. It’s much easier to write when that weight is lifted. Another take away; Write down everything that you hear, see, and think that might inspire future you. I have a folder in my notes app called “Thoughts” where I make new notes for everything from lyrics, silly turns of phrase, philosophy, words I see or hear that make my thing, someone else’s lyrics that I heard wrong, sounds, smells, and ideas for stories. I also take hundreds of pictures in a week because I am very inspired by visual beauty. I use those later for inspiration as well.
The one I am reading right now is We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around and Make Something by Aimee McNee. I’ll be honest, the title scared me. It almost has this shameful energy like “c’mon this is so easy and you’re just lazy”… but that is totally not the case. This book was the break in the clouds that I needed to start healing my feelings around music and my musical identity. She approaches the whole person when dismantling the toxic mindsets that keeps people like me tense, anxious, and overwhelmed when it comes to creating. It feels like talking to a friend who is giving some tough love and also encouraging you to celebrate the joy of creating. I can’t wait to finish it and I also don’t want it to end. If you’re a creative who is feeling heavy or burnt-out, I highly recommend this one!
One more that is not specific toward creativity and entrepreneurship but one that I found to be extremely impactful in my life is Beauty Sick: How the Cultural Obsession with Appearance Hurts Girls and Women by Renee Engeln. This book fiercely calls out the beauty industry and social media for the stories they tell women and girls about their value based on looks. Something that really stuck out to me was bringing attention to how many hours women could be putting toward their passions but instead are expected to put in hours toward fitting a “beauty standard”. I got so angry at the system haha There have been many times after a show that people comment on my outfit first and then my performance which really communicates what they are really noticing. This book really helped me look inward and ask the hard question regarding makeup/fitness: Am I doing this for me or for others? It’s empowering to be in charge of your looks because it is what YOU are feeling, not to fit an image that was projected on you or because you know people are looking . I bring up this book because it inspired me to put myself first as a performer and a woman who is frequently on stage, in photos and video, and on social media.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Honestly, it is when people find meaning in my music or the joy I see in others when I tell them what their art means to me. Human connection is so important to me. Of course I have a lot of joy just making beautiful sounds in my bedroom, but nothing compares to the joy of knowing I have impacted someone. Many people tell me they cry when I perform haha I take that as a compliment. I once had a stranger tell me that my songs made them feel so seen in a way they’ve never felt with other songs. I think about that a dozen times a week! In Astronomy Town I get to create with people I love and hear their own voice in each song. I love when I see people dancing along when Astronomy Town performs. Sometimes we just need to get lost in the beauty of music, I think Astronomy Town paints a really great home for that.
One of my favorite things to do is go to local shows. I’m taking in everything from the composing to the lyrics to the vibe. These are details that we tweak and obsess over as creatives but not everyone notices with the end result. I love to look for the tiny details that make an artist unique. I love to be a witness to others’ magic.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cassandralynnj.wixsite.com/cassandramusic
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassandrajohnsonmusic/
- Twitter: https://bsky.app/profile/cassandrajohnson.bsky.social
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@cassandrajohnsonmusic/videos
- Other: Bandcamp: https://cassandrajohnson.bandcamp.com/
Image Credits
Kati Doty
Sammie Jean Cohen
David King