Cassie Marin – Tanto

By starrymag | February 21, 2022

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) Completely guided by how I feel ~*

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) I feel I’ve arrived at a point where I don’t have many influences, to be honest. Certainly, everything that I’ve enjoyed listening to has brought me to the place I am now, but I don’t find myself reaching out for inspiration at the moment, I reach within.

 

Q) How did growing up in Miami influence you as a music artist?

 

A) Miami is where all of my family lives, so Miami means family to me. Wherever you grow up, you grow up at home (whatever that is) and that becomes a major factor in what shapes you. When I was old enough, Miami was where I played my first shows and it was the place where I first confirmed, “Ok, I want to dedicate my life to this.”

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your song “Tanto.”

 

A) “Tanto” was written when I reached a difficult point with my auto-immune disease. Anyone with a condition in that category knows how uncertain the realm can be. I had gone through all sorts of supposed solutions (diets, regiments, therapies) and came to terms with the fact that it was going to be difficult to find the real answer. This is where “Tanto” came to life— I had to make a decision each day to enjoy the present moment, regardless of how much discomfort and pain I was experiencing, because I knew the answer would not come right away. “Tanto” was my fun way of getting through it.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I think it’s the energy it has. Although it might speak of a struggle, I made a point of not focusing on the struggle itself, but on a romance with life in which we can dance in spite of any difficulty.

 

Q) Why was it so important for you to sing in Spanish – your first language – for this track?

 

A) There was a level of strength and transparency I had to pull out of myself that perhaps was only available to me in my first language.

 

Q) What is your songwriting process like? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) Yes, usually the music is composed first, however nimbly. Then, I stand in front of the mic and find out what comes out. Other times I sit with pen and paper and hash it out with the ink while taking in the music.

 

Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) Some tracks are entirely produced by myself, others are collaborations. I tend to work very closely with my producers on collaborations. I’ve been lucky to find people I can work with in this way. There is a symbiosis that occurs when we are in the studio together.

 

Q) What can fans expect from a live Cassie Marin performance?

 

A) When fans come out to my shows, I make sure to give them something that is better than listening at home.

 

Q) What songs of your album are you looking forward to performing live?

 

A) All of them. [smiles]

 

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to your new album as a whole?

 

A) I hope they take away a friend and a companion; I hope they feel heard and understood.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) The crowd is what makes the venue. I don’t have a particular sentiment to a venue, but to the moments I’ve shared with fans.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) Skrillex and Bon Iver are at the top of my list.

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

A) Brand New has always been one of my favorite bands and I’ve just recently been revisiting their album Daisy, which is very nostalgic to me. I started listening to them when I was in the eighth grade after trading ipods with a classmate. I think my love for this band comes from the sensation and melancholy-ness of autumn that I feel while listening. Autumn is my favorite season and I wish it lasted all year round.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) My content on social media reaches people I would have never been able to reach directly without it. Some really special connections have been formed online, some of which live so far that they have not been able to come to one of my shows just yet.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) Thank you for being there. My upcoming album is made specially just for you. Sorry it took a minute. [laughs]