A Chat with Sail Cassady (04.09.23)
Oozing a kaleidoscopic passion for thought-provoking, intriguing and enticing music, singer-songwriter Sail Cassady celebrates the intricacies of human nature with his melodies. We speak to Sail Cassady about his new EP Juniper, favourite types of music, internet annoyances, and much more!
OSR: Cliché but what inspired you to begin making music?
Sail Cassady: Music found me more than I found it. I think in a way it was the first drug I ever found.
OSR: What does music mean to you?
Sail Cassady: Music means individuality and a true space to be fully honest with oneself and others.
OSR: You recently released your EP Juniper and mentioned the collection was written over eras in your musical career. Would you call it a journey of discovery or a reflection of your life? Tell us about the EP.
Sail Cassady: The EP was a culmination of attempts to make sense of this music I was making. The truth was is I needed a place to be honest with who I truly was but I wasn’t ready to say anything out loud just yet, so I wrote some of these songs even before Sail Cassady to get my feelings out in the open. Over time this collection fell into place with the right project.
OSR: What were the pros and cons of creating and releasing such a personal piece of work?
Sail Cassady: Pros and cons… great question. Pros were I could free myself from a sub-honest existence and be understood for the eccentric person I am and can be to some.
Cons: some people misunderstand mental health and what coming out as queer really means. They assume I’m a starved pent-up person ready to start dating the world. Or that trauma means tip-toe around me because I may be too delicate to go deep with. Both are funny to me. I’m pansexual yes!! But happy in my life as it is. Just get to be real about how I’ve seen the world my whole life and the decisions I’ve made would be the same. I definitely would have dated more men and trans/non-binary people if I were in a safer more inclusive environment as a younger person, but I get to tell the world ‘you are all beautiful adults and I see you!’ And that feels good.
Also, mental health and trauma have a loooong way to go sadly as well as most people act like allies online but hardly take the time to actually learn and spend time understanding where a broken or harmed person is coming from. Don’t even get me started on the horrific lack of resources, and the paywalls separating those in need. The real world is very different than the illusion we see online. And this album has in some ways reminded me of that by the lack of inclusion in my own city. It’s tough if you aren’t part of the cool club regardless of your message or how great your record really is lol
OSR: What do you feel makes you unique as an artist?
Sail Cassady: I think the only unique quality I bring to art is my own personal experience. I’m my own being who has climbed through trauma, abuse, alcoholism, addiction and self-discovery. That’s my own. No one else’s.
OSR: What do you feel are the pros and cons of being a solo artist as compared to being part of a band?
Sail Cassady: I have to say being a solo artist gives me 100 percent choice and accountability. That is both great and stressful. It’s my fault or my success based on my band’s trajectory. But being a ‘band’ can be amazing with the right team or it can totally be too many cooks in the kitchen. But the pro is it’s a better support system with less on one person’s plate. A bit cheaper too. 😊
OSR: Some random questions: If you were to switch places/lives with any person, who would it be and why?
Sail Cassady: I have two answers to switching lives with someone or thing. The typical one is I wouldn’t because my incarnation has led me to this point and I wouldn’t want to have to start based on someone else’s karma. Buuut if I would switch places, I’d go to any city that champions art and creativity over popularity clubs and ‘who you know’ politics. A place where great bands are appreciated for being great bands and the idea of ‘toeing the line’ is met with eye rolls and throat clearing. A place where the Avant-Garde is celebrated and all forms of art that brought artists from the dark are championed and supported with open hearts. That sounds like a place I’d switch to.
OSR: What annoys you about the internet?
Sail Cassady: The internet is an illusion costing the weight of the world. A weight none of us can bear. It’s also not what truly ‘is’ in so many ways. It’s great to get your music out there but can also turn an artist into more of a commodity than a vessel for creative output sought after by the industry. It’s built an algorithm that artists need to follow regardless of how great they are to become heard. It’s also a true compass of how much allyship is more of a status symbol landing on the right side of history. Action is action, not just what you say online.
OSR: What are your favourite and least favourite types of music?
Sail Cassady: I pretty much love all formats of musical expression. I really try not to discriminate. But I love humans playing instruments, using their REAL voices and taking time to learn something that elevates their stories.
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
Sail Cassady: My only message is to be true to what you are doing and never shy from allowing the healing to flow in if you see the opportunity. So many times we care more about what others will think rather than how our own art will impact us. ‘It’s not the transformation of the experience that truly matters, but the transportation of the creator.’
Many thanks to Sail Cassady for speaking with us! For more from Sail Cassady, check out his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
