Rising Stars: Meet Cassandra Coleman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassandra Coleman.

Hi Cassandra, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
Hey there! My name is Cassandra Coleman and I’m a 25 year old coffee slingin’ barista from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Tennessee. All of my oldest memories are related to music. I have a distinct memory at 5 years old of walking in a valley with my mother by our home. She started singing an old hymn, “Lily of the Valley”, and I started singing with her, unaware of what I was doing… She turned back to me and exclaimed “You’re harmonizing!” and I remember feeling a huge surge of pride. She was so pleased with me at that moment and now that memory is forever etched into my mind.

Throughout the years I would occasionally do talent shows at camp or school, but I was too nervous and unable to feel comfortable on stages. As a teenager, I felt like I was holding onto a secret that I wanted the world to know about. I think I, unhealthily, let my musicality define me and become my identity for the majority of my youth.. but yet, my fear of pursuing music outweighed my desire to attempt to pursue it, so I distracted myself with other hobbies.

At 17 I entered the adult world and began working full time while I finished up my last years of high school with homeschooling. I shifted my dreams from being a musician to being a small business owner and was content with that for a while. It felt obtainable. It also wasn’t considered “vain” or “conceited” – so it felt safe. For the next 7 years, I would post covers I recorded online to curb my appetite to express myself artistically. I thought music wasn’t in the cards for me, but God had other plans.

In August of 2020, I was contacted by American Idol after they’d seen one of my videos online. They asked me to audition and I, hesitantly, agreed. I was a nervous wreck during the entirety of the show, but continued to make it past rounds until I progressed to the live shows with the top 10. I somehow managed to continue pushing through my fear of stages and fear of failure. Don’t get me wrong, it was definitely messy. It was a continuous battle of what my mind told me I wasn’t capable of and what my heart wanted. Since the show fear has been something I’m continually challenging myself to face head-on. The biggest lesson I’ve learned through all of this: Fear is a liar.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I feel like I probably touched on this in the last section, but a quick summary:

No, this has not been a smooth road. It’s been one of the most rewarding, but challenging years of my life. I’ve had to face huge issues that I’ve been ignoring over the years. Negative self-talk being the biggest one. The voice in your head that tells you “You’re not capable. You’re not skinny enough. No one likes you. Who would want to listen to you? You’ll never make it in this industry.” The list goes on. I was continually listening to the wrong voice and feeding the negative side of my brain. I know this will be an ongoing battle, but I’m able to now address this and combat it, instead of just accepting it as a “part of who I am”

Also my obsession with perfectionism and extreme fear of failure. I was so afraid to fail. If my identity was wrapped up in being a successful musician one day and I failed it… what would that make me? I saw failure as something to be embarrassed by, but in reality, failure is normal. How we handle our fears is what dictates our success. Accepting failures and using them as learning experiences is inspiring and admirable.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an aspiring singer/songwriter based out of Columbia, TN. I write with other artists during the week and work as a barista on the weekends. I specialize in singing and harmonizing.

What am I known for and proud of? I want to preface this by saying, I don’t believe any one person is more special than another! Everyone has their own, unique fingerprint! I’ve been told I’m known for my ability to emote and story-tell through singing.  I have been told what sets me apart is the sound of my voice and the emotions people feel when they hear me sing. I’m proud of the strides I’ve made in the past year to reach towards my dreams and combat unhealthy ways of thinking.

We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Hmmm… I love to carve/whittle on sticks! I wear my socks inside out. I’m 3/4th Irish and 1/4th Puerto Rican. I’m obsessed with finding four leaf clovers. I’m a lot goofier than I let on through social media. 🙂

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassandracolemanmusic/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CassandraColemanMusic
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/casscoleman
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4yxuItdi13xA8L1VNoeAIw

Image Credits
Meredith Joi Oswald (@tattedcatphotography)