Casi Joy
Interview By Hannah zimmerman
The other day I was asked if I wanted to do an interview with Casi Joy. I said we could do it and for those of. you how don't know who Casi Joy is heres some back ground on her. I copy this from her website casinos.com Casi began her music career touring the midwest in the country opry circuit. After years of performing country classics, she was spotted and signed by Radio Disney at the age of 14. Shortly after, she took her music to Nashville, where she recorded at legendary RCA Studios.
There hasn’t been a time in Casi’s life that she hasn’t pursued music, but she’s quite a jack-of-all-trades. Growing up, Casi was involved in several activities including Varsity Soccer (All District), Track (State Sectionals), was captain of the dance team, and was the Student Council class secretary. Her athletic background earned her a track scholarship to Park University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in education. While working her way through college, and touring with her rock band at the time, Casi was also a music instructor at the School of Rock where she then became the director of their Pre-K music program “Little Wing.” In 2015, the songstress knew her true calling was where it all began; country music. She made the move to Nashville on New Years Day. Shortly after, she released her debut EP “Love on Repeat” where she worked with top players in the industry at Sound Stage Studio. Casi’s hard work and dedication paid off when she got the call to be on The Voice. After making it to the live finals on Team Blake, Casi was touring the US and Canada so frequently that she bought a tour bus she now calls home. "The Joyride" has given her the ability to spread joy wherever the music takes her, which is something she's worked for since she was five years old.
Joy's vibrant stage presence has led to sharing the stage with many notable country acts including Chris Jansen, Montgomery Gentry, Maren Morris, Keith Urban, Carly Pearce, Easton Corbin, Dustin Lynch, LOCASH and other various chart topping artists. Hailing from Kansas City before moving to Nashville, Casi has become a beloved hometown figure. One of her favorite events to come back for is the Kansas City Plaza Lighting seen by 250,000 attendees and half a million television viewers. She has also been invited numerous times to sing her stunning rendition of the National Anthem for the Kansas City Chiefs, American Royal, KC Royals, and Sporting KC.
here is the interview
1) Tell us about your new album, Miles and Maybes. What was the main inspiration for the album?
I think the main inspiration was about tell the truth. I wasn’t going for a particular sound or vibe, I just wanted to write what was going on in my life. Writing this album was such a therapeutic process. It was kind of like doing an audit of my life so far; looking back at all the miles traveled, all the maybes promised, and all the hope I still have left in the tank.
2) How has it evolved from your previous projects?
I had released two original EP’s in the past, a cover album, and even a Christmas album, but finally releasing an all original full length album felt so much more special. I think having a lot more life under my belt really helped my sound evolve with this album. I also did more co-writing on this album, whereas with my EPs, I wrote most of those songs solo. Getting to collaborate with such talented people with fresh perspectives helped me to really dig my heels in deeper with my lyrics.
3) You have been on the road for a while now, how has the music scene changed? Are there any artists or trends you are excited about?
I think TikTok has changed the music scene quite a bit, which has been a blessing and a curse. It’s incredible that we have the ability to reach so many people, but on the other hand, artists are now expected to post 4-6 times a day, which can sometimes hinder creativity and being in the moment. As for artists and trends I’m excited about, I really love that artists like Tyler Childers, Zach Bryan, and Noah Kahan are getting a spotlight on them. It feels like the real, raw truth telling of songwriting is coming back around, and I couldn’t love that more! We’re starting to move away from perfection, and I think that’s what listeners need right now.
4) What comes next? Where do you see yourself and your music in the next year? How about the next five?
Right now we’re still touring the album and getting ready to release the music video for my single “Low Brow Luxe.” I don’t see our touring schedule slowing down any time soon, but I do plan on releasing new music in the next year! As for the next five, I’m sure I’ll be somewhere on the road going wherever the music takes me!
Interview By Hannah Zimmerman
Wade Bowen interview
Check out the full interview below.
Hannah Zimmerman: What were the biggest challenges and differences of producing your own record versus someone else? What were your wins?
Wade Bowen: The fact that I did it is a win. I'm not going to lie and say, I wasn't nervous. I was very nervous going into it. I had a little bit of anxiety as it was getting ready to start because I do like to bounce ideas off people. But I think I surrounded myself with the right people and the band to be able to do that. And now that I've done it, I really enjoyed the process. I’ve always been a pretty hands-on artist anyway, with my records. And this just gave me a chance to be even more hands on. I like being able to say yes and no, and to be the final decision, the final vote.
It felt good. I got to work at my own pace, and I felt like I had a great group of songs to go in with that I didn't have to overthink anything. It was straightforward. I'm happy with what we came up with and, and the whole process. I don't know that I'll do every record of my own, but I know that I will produce another record again. I really, really enjoyed it.
Zimmerman: So, you would do it again?
Bowen: I'm starting another project with Randy Rogers and I've convinced him to let him and I produce it together. We may, we may kill each other in the process, or we may have a blast again, but we're going to do it again and see what happens.
Zimmerman: For someone who is just coming into the industry or even somebody who's been in the industry, how do you make memorable country music while still kind of staying in the lane of traditional country music?
Bowen: It’s hard, you know? That’s the beauty of the journey of figuring that out. I mean, it starts with the songs, right? And, then it goes to the performance of the singers. There's a simplicity about country music that people don't talk about enough. It’s a beautiful simplicity that really opens up the song for so much soul and passion to creep in. You can sing Silver Wings by Merle Haggard with 10 different singers across the stage and it'll sound like 10 different songs. It goes the same with the blues too. The blues are as simple as it gets. If you're listening to it the depth lies in the lyrics and in the performance of the actual song itself. So, I think that's the strength of country music. I think so many of us that are country music fans see a lot of the same things; the cheating and the heartbreak. Within the songs are the same small town things that we all love to write about, because that's what our lives are. When it’s country music, it is real and it's honest.
Zimmerman: Do you think country music is evolving too with the state of the world? I noticed some of your newer music is heavier than your previous work. Do you think that's the natural evolution of a musician? Or do you think it's where the world's taking us right now?
Bowen: I think it's probably a little bit of both. I'm older and I think I'm writing at a different level than I was, and that includes probably some more intense moments. I don't like to talk about the last two years and with the music, I try to help people move on from it. Go out on Tuesday night and not talk about COVID. It's all we've heard for two years. This time and everything we've gone through is part of us now and it changed a lot of things. Some good and some bad, but we're all forever to change some way through.
I think that is going to come out of the lyrics somehow. They're not COVID songs by any means, but you have to know that the intensity from those lyrics comes from some of that depth and that emotion that we've all been through the roller coaster over the last couple years.
Zimmerman: How are your fans responding to the new stuff?
Bowen: Last night was really the first show that we've had to mix in the new stuff. It was hard making a set to figure out where to throw the new ones in. We have the staples that you got to play. But I really feel like these songs. With this record I think the depth of this record sonically really moves my career in a good direction. I think the simplicity of these songs really created a moment for the band and the studio to open up and make it really big and dramatic with a lot of depth to it. That's going to translate well to our show and make a more energetic and more powerful show. I felt it last night with the songs. I do think these songs are some of my favorite songs I've ever written, if not my best. I'm going to try to force them right now until they find their way. There's an energy with these songs that I've never felt before on stage with new music and that's, that must come across to the fans as well. Because that's something you can't fake.
Zimmerman: What's your next move?
Bowen: I've already started working on the next record. Sounds crazy, I know. Randy Rogers and I are going in to do another record we've already started writing for that. Continue to tour like crazy. I mean, I want to get out and play. I love it right now. I think we're going to try to try to do some special shows, maybe jump on some tours together with some people and some buddies and try some different things. I am happy to see what this record brings for us.
