We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cassidy Taylor a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Cassidy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
I’m mostly a self-taught musician and songwriter. As a kid, I was very stubborn and always preferred to figure things out on my own and when I started writing songs around age 8, there was so much I wanted to explore freely. I think this is what made me fall in love with music. There were no ‘rules’ when I was creating. I eventually picked up my dad’s acoustic guitar he kept around the house and this gave me the means to perform and start accompanying myself.
I believe there are a lot of things about being an artist that can be learnt but can’t be taught. Exploration can teach you so much. But I also believe that finding the right coach can be extremely valuable. I started vocal lessons when I went to college to study music and was taught by Anna Mastin, who helped me overcome a lot of bad habits that had formed over the years. Learning vocal health and the anatomy of the vocal cords was a step that had to be taken for me to be able to continue to do this every day.
Cassidy, 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?
My name is Cassidy Taylor. I’m a pop singer-songwriter who was born and raised in a small town in northern Ontario, Canada called Haliburton. My passion for music began with writing. I started writing songs, poems, and even novels around the age of 8. A few years later, I picked up my dad’s acoustic guitar and began to teach myself. Like any other pre-teen at the time, I was influenced heavily by Taylor Swift (and I still am). Some of my other early influences include John Mayer and Joni Mitchell.
After high school, I moved to the city of Mississauga to study music. Having grown up in a town with a population of about 1,000 people, this was a massive change for me. I wrote many songs about this at the time, one of which came out recently. “The Moon” is a special song I wrote about home and how it’s influenced me as a person and artist. It’s one of the songs off my upcoming debut EP, set to release this year.
Today, I write pop songs from my home studio and it continues to be my biggest passion. Though performing these songs live is a different experience entirely, one that gives me so much fulfillment. Wether it’s an intimate acoustic show or a larger crowd with a full band, storytelling remains at the core of everything I do.
You can check out my music on any streaming platform under my name, Cassidy Taylor or visit my website for more info about me & my upcoming shows (cassidytaylor.com).
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
When I hear from fans about how my music made them feel, it makes it all worth it. From when the song is written to when the song is released, a lot of work goes unseen. But if I can make someone feel something with my art, I’ve done my job. For live performances, it’s the same. Watching the crowd move or sing gives me the best feeling.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
To support an artist I think the best things you can do is buy merch, go to their shows, or share their music/art with friends. Especially for indie artists who handle everything from marketing and publicity to booking shows and practicing, these small acts can make a world of a difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cassidytaylor.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/songsbycassidy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/songsbycassidy
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassidy-taylor-09a5a5237/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/songsbycassidy
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmkygwBQOOtAUt90c-_mWpg
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@songsbycassidy?_d=secCgwIARCbDRjEFSACKAESPgo8tz%2F9%2BufiMpcm0%2ByVsSNOykbmtFpxnghloeyN4Sk14k1zZhuWYKWxeoMOAzWIDGIaYQFaKqnpLV6auh8PGgA%3D&checksum=b409f2b8c1f8f5c4889e34b84fc924018b42ec04508463f3c706c07fb7d986f0&language=en&sec_uid=MS4wLjABAAAASYMHvv0zb3pBq_pQ0e17-ttGvmml5PrrZOeHKNmPJjwi8wjxnswFh0ugJH1YlEvU&sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAASYMHvv0zb3pBq_pQ0e17-ttGvmml5PrrZOeHKNmPJjwi8wjxnswFh0ugJH1YlEvU&share_app_id=1233&share_author_id=7031679744705856517&share_link_id=8F17DBA7-B4FB-46F3-9FEB-A914D795DF6D&tt_from=copy&u_code=dljlehaj5mhkd0&user_id=7031679744705856517&utm_campaign=client_share&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=copy&source=h5_m&_r=1
Image Credits
Studio Shots – Wendy Wei https://www.instagram.com/wendyhwei/?hl=en Stage Shots – Tim Sandik https://www.dedpixelimages.com/