We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Callie a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Callie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?

At times, see i’m a black woman from Atlanta, Ga with the appeal of an R&B and HipHop artist. Though I love all genre’s of music and write several styles of music my heart has always loved pop music. I’ve been mischaracterized for such a long time that I decided I needed to completely rebrand myself. Thus sparking my rebrand that launched November 5th, 2021.

What’s been most interesting about the rebranding process is that people have been so supportive. It’s almost as if people have been yearning for this kind of music. I took a leap of faith to follow my heart and create the kind of music my heart said to and it was the absolute best decision I ever made.

Callie, 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?

My name is Dear Callie, i’m a singer songwriter. My professional career began at the age of 13 when I became a member of the singing girl group Envisage.

My calling in life is to bring harmony to the world through music and entertainment. You know how some people’s calling is saving lives? Well mine is healing hearts. There are millions of outrageously gifted artist/songwriters in this world and being that i’m not only a fan of music but also a fan of the culture of music it has taught the importance of the experience. That experience is what sets me apart.

See, I don’t think this is about me at all. I’m just a vessel and because of that I place a high value on the experience i’m placing in the music. What my music is saying about my beliefs and values. What my music is saying to those who’ll never meet me or ever know me. The words aren’t just thrown together to sound pretty. I really take my time to create the experience because influence is natural and as artist we are the voice for the voiceless often times. People turn to music as refuge and when they turn to my music I want them to feel safe in whatever that emotion is. That is what sets me apart, I really care about the people.

You know, i’m most proud of my re-brand. As of January 2021 I decided to quit my job, create the music that speaks true to who I am and fully pursue my career as a singer/songwriter full time. I’m still learning how to navigate in this space but I am doing the work and getting the results. I am super proud of myself for fully stepping out on faith.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I think about when I was writing for the Space jam Soundtrack. I had to go back to my day job after airing on The Voice because I had hardly any money. My car was about to be repossessed, I could barely pay my bills. I got the call to write for the Space Jam soundtrack and it was a strict deadline to get my records in. So I had to choose, either go to work or write for this placement. I’m optimistic, so I chose the placement and STILL didn’t make the album.

No opportunity was handed to me, I didn’t grow up with much access to the music industry. I had to figure things out on my own and grind for every opportunity. Needless to say, I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I’ve learned it not always about the opportunity itself, its about the things you’re being taught from that it. So it’s like, now I have the experience and can navigate new opportunities even better. Disappointment breeds stars!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn perfection. I grew up during a time where everything was picture perfect and no one spoke publicly about photoshop and filters. For so long I use to think celebrities were flawless inside and out and I didn’t see them as human beings. I use to think I could never amount to that. Then I grew up and learned that perception is truly reality and not even a third of the truth is showcased. This became crystal clear after I did The Voice because it was my first real t.v experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dearcallie.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearcallie_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dearcallie
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DearCallie__
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/calliehbk

Image Credits
Lola Scott Art Photography HBUC Studios Sebastian Phillips Pkt.guru Breanna Jay Photography Magic Monroe Creative Director Dhemari Dj Jerigan