That was the first time I was like, “I don’t want to work in a studio; I want to be on stage.” It was a very stark moment for me, like, “I don’t want to be behind closed doors; I want to be out there.” And it’s so funny because now, I feel the opposite. I don’t want to be on stage; I want to be behind the scenes. I think that’s just the nature of growing up and realizing what you’re good at and what you’re not good at.
What was the process like for creating your debut album, See It Fades, and how did it differ from your previous EP, Quiet Sides?
Quiet Sides was made with my friend Colin Miller. We recorded it in his basement. It was so fun to make; it was my first time in a studio. We didn’t really know what we were doing, but it was very DIY, and it felt like a stepping stone. I had just met Ryan Pollie, and we were talking all about what we wanted to do with the album. I had all these demos, and I’d been sitting on them for a long time. We started tracking and recording in his home studio, and I was like, “This is it.” The process was so relaxed and went so smoothly. It was definitely more of a process than Quiet Sides – it was more intense and longer, but it was also just more fun and more exciting. There was so much more room to expand and grow.
What were some of the biggest challenges or breakthroughs you experienced while making the album?
The biggest challenge for me was getting everything out that I wanted to get out. I think that’s a challenge for every artist – you have so many ideas, and you want to do so much, but you only have so much time. I think the biggest breakthrough was just figuring out how to streamline and get to the point faster. I’m a very wordy person, as you can probably tell from our conversation. [laughs] I love to write, and I love words, but I had to figure out how to get to the point faster and make it more concise. That was definitely my biggest breakthrough.
What do you hope listeners take away from See It Fades?
I hope that listeners take their own meaning from it. I hope that it can be a mirror in some way for people to see themselves. I think that’s the best thing about music – it’s so personal, but it’s also so universal. I hope that people can see themselves in it, and take whatever they need from it.
What’s next for you, and what are you looking forward to in the future?
Oh, man. What’s next for me? I’m just excited to play shows again. I’m excited to travel and meet new people and see new places. I love touring; I love meeting new bands and making new friends. I’m just excited to put out more music and see where it goes. I don’t have any expectations; I just want to keep making music and see where it takes me.
Follow Adriana McCassim on Instagram and listen to her music on Bandcamp.
” I knew immediately that was the spot. It just felt like home. We recorded the entire record there, and it was the most comfortable I’ve ever felt making a record. I wanted to feel like myself, and I think we achieved that. As a songwriter, I wanted to be honest. I wanted to talk about the things that felt hard to talk about – like relationships and mental health. I wanted to push myself to be more vulnerable and open, and I think I did that with this record.
What has been the most rewarding part of releasing See It Fades so far?
Seeing people connect with the music has been the most rewarding part. I’ve had so many people reach out to me and tell me how a certain song resonated with them or helped them through a tough time. That’s all I could ever hope for as an artist – to make music that speaks to people and helps them feel understood. It’s been incredible to see the impact the music has had on others.
What are your hopes for the future of your music career?
My hope is to continue making music that is honest and authentic. I want to keep growing as a songwriter and musician, and I hope to reach even more people with my music. I also hope to continue collaborating with other artists and creating music that pushes boundaries and challenges listeners. Ultimately, I just want to keep making music that I love and that resonates with others.
But when that relationship ended, I felt like I was unraveling. I felt like I didn’t know who I was, and I didn’t know what love was. I felt like I was so angry, and I was so sad, and I was so broken. And then, halfway through making this record, I met someone who totally changed my perspective on love.
They showed me that love doesn’t have to be rushed. It doesn’t have to be chaotic or all-consuming. It can be slow and steady, like a gentle flame that burns bright and constant. They showed me that love can be patient and kind, that it can grow and evolve over time. And that’s where the idea of slow love came from, from my own personal experience of finding something beautiful and lasting in a relationship that took its time to bloom.
So ‘Rushin’ is a reflection of that newfound belief in slow love, in taking the time to build something strong and meaningful with someone who truly sees and understands you. It’s a reminder that love doesn’t have to be rushed or forced – it can be slow and steady, and all the more powerful for it. Durante mucho tiempo, todo fue tan pesado y sombrío, y lo que enfrento, en términos de salud mental, realmente agrava eso. Luego hubo un cambio, sentirme enojada y permitirme explorar esas explosiones emocionales. Surgió con ‘Touch’ – sintiendo que la persona con la que estaba no me reconocía o ya no quería levantarme. Es una canción sobre intimidad física, pero fue finalmente hartarme de eso. Conocer a alguien y finalmente avanzar a través de mucho de esto, explorando y saliendo en citas y volviendo a mi yo de mujer, conociéndola más, siento que aprendí más sobre el amor y sobre el amor propio, y esa lentitud es tan buena. ‘Love Slow’ es la única canción en el disco que trata sobre esta otra cosa, este pequeño destello de lo que sigue. Pero vaya, me tomó tanto tiempo aprender eso. Creo que por eso, ahora, miro hacia atrás en este disco, y se siente tan juvenil, tan diferente de donde estoy ahora. Pero es una cápsula de donde estaba. Ahora siento que estoy completamente al otro lado de eso.
¿Cómo sientes que ese destello se manifiesta a lo largo del disco, o ha crecido en tu vida ahora?
Creo que se ha traducido en confianza en uno mismo. Hay tantos temas de ansiedad a lo largo del disco, y creo que también hay un destello de curación al final. Todas las personas que trabajaron en este disco me ayudaron a procesar lo que estaba pasando, incluso si no estábamos hablando explícitamente de ello, se traducía musicalmente. Mientras estaba mezclando con Alex, podía decir que lo entendía intuitivamente. Fue una confirmación de que las canciones siempre estarán aquí para mí, para ayudarme a entender la experiencia humana y mi vida. Es como si esa cuna siempre estuviera ahí para mí, y no hay escasez de eso.
Esta entrevista ha sido editada y condensada para mayor claridad y longitud.
El álbum “See It Fades” de Adriana McCassim ya está disponible.