#133 - Kassi Ashton New Artist talks about her journey to landing a Record Deal

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Speaker 1: Welcome to episode one thirty three of The Bobby Cast with Cassie Ashton. Good, Yeah, I'm great. Let's play a little bit of Cassie Ashton so people can hear Cassy still considered a new artist. Here. This is Taxidermy, keep Me hanging On, and this is California, Missouri. I was all in a hood and if I got passed along, I could get a hit start on anything. So how do we meet? I guess we met, Well, we really met because I was like, hey, I have a friend that I kind of can confide in and we talk about music, and I say, hey, I look for artists. And then throughout the year in my class and it starts, but it always hangs around for a couple of years. We look for artists to kind of blow up. And a couple of from this year have been Morgan Evans got a top ten song, Jimmy Allen just got on the verge. And so we always look to the class of to promote things. And I was looking for new artists and so what who do you know? He goes, well, her music is not out yet. And I said, I don't take new music that doesn't exist. He goes, I said, I think you should really listen to her. I said, all right, And so they send me. It was like four or five of your songs and I heard them and I was like, man, like, she's really good and like soul full, and like, I don't I didn't get the whole thing yet. I just was hearing it and uh. And then it turns out we had actually worked out in the same gym. I just didn't know that. But yeah, that's how. That's how we met. Was somebody going, hey, that thinks she's really good, and I went, okay, cool, I need to send that guy a gift. Best kid. You don't even know who it is. I think someone told me is Tom Lord. I would not confirm nor deny, but that's how we met. And I'm such a fan, such a fan of just your your kind of attitude. Yeah, thank you. I really appreciate that. I don't just I'm a fan of your attitude too. I don't know what that is, but with you, you kind of go like, you know, when you're in a room, oh thanks, when you enter a room, all k O, you know, freaking Cassie Easier. I guess it depends on what room I walk into. Who's in there? Ye, well, and then you play the rhymean show for us, which is awesome. I love Taxi Army that song. I love it too. I'm just trying to think back a history of us. Yeah. I did my first ever radio interview. I was on the with you that yeah, and it got like played later than what we did it and there were people like, well, she did dish the other day, and you're like, hey, listen, asshole, this was actually her first one. So, like, you don't know, just scroll scroll on Facebook a little longer. How has the social media been to you? I love Instagram. I love Instagram. I love the Explore page. I follow mostly like things that inspire me so that my feeds stays artistic and positive. And I like Twitter because people are sarcastic assholes and that's funny. You know, you find people that you don't know, but you're like, you respond to things hilarious. And then as far as Facebook is concerned, like if anybody else wants to take over that for me, like cool, I don't look at our show's Facebook page. Yeah, people on Facebook. I made the mistake. You know, you're new and you see thirty comments and you're like, Oh, I really want to see you know, the nice the nice things on here, you know, so I can reach out to people. No, don't don't do that. Don't read the comments. Yeah, people kind of feel like everything's equal and they want to actually put the hammer down on you. They don't think that you. I'm convinced they don't think you see it like they are just talking into the abyss. That's a good point. I'm convinced that they don't think you're real. Yeah, like you're a machine ort and honest to god, I'm a human being and when I read stuff as as desensitized as I can get, it still goes that hurts a little bit. Yeah, I mean there were things on the first like two times and the only two times I read the comments on Facebook, they were mean, Like not just critical. That's cool, criticals, fine, everybody's got opinion, but like you had to go down in yourself and really pull like the mean out. Like there was this one comment I got tagged in a picture from Stagecoach and stage Coach it was like ninete degrees outside, right I'm wearing in California. Yeah, I'm wearing pretty much sports braw and long biker shorts like not you know, they're girls there that were like pasties in American flag swimsuit bottoms. And there was someone on the comments that was like, her boobs are as fake as her music, And there were people like saying that they wanted to they should throw dollar bills at me because I look like insert in appropriate words the boobs and mused the fake boobs and fake music. That's a double shot in one sentence, it's actually true because my boobs aren't fake and neither is my music. So thank you for the I'm convinced that I'm sad that people don't have a voice in general. They feel they don't have a voice, so they have to use their voice to make as much of an impact on Facebook as possible, and it turns out that you only get the most response when you're negative. It's a culture thing that I'm not proud that we have. UM. But all that aside, you know, I I like what you do because it's different. I think you can do anything different. You're gonna have so many detractors anything. When I came to town, it was three years before I was even okay to associate with because I was so different. But that's okay because now it's you know, I've I've kind of carved out my place and this is me and yeah, so I always wonder because here you are, now you're you're a very new artist. It was one of the process of when you moved to town, what steps do you take in order to be seen? And then like, how does a record deal actually happen for someone who moves to town because I'm assuming when you moved here you didn't have a contact at a record label and you it's like, hey, just come and we'll sign you up. I didn't even know how to like, I didn't even know what SoundCloud was. I didn't know how did anything. Like I came to town because I went to Belmonte. I moved here for college, and I knew I could sing, and then I was really good on stage and I was live. What have you been really good on stage? Where did you get that affirmation? I've literally been raised on stage, Um, you know, beauty pageants, dance competitions, whether it was a Gooseneck trailer at the fair to like a big theater, and I did theater growing up, and so stage is comfortable for me and like I am more shy in a room of five people than like a stage with five thousand people. Like, that's that's my place. So I knew that, Like, as far as I was concerned, no one at school was going to beat me in that arena, No pun intended. That's what you were naturally good at, and you worked harder at it because you saw some of the fruits. Yeah, wow, Okay, so you're good. You can sing, you're on stage, but you and your intelity studying though, I got a Bachelor of Music, so commercial voice, so you came and studied singing. I wonder what that class is, Like, is it so competitive of a class? You would think so, But I think, as far as I'm concerned about, half of my graduating class worked and then the other half they came from a small pond where they were the biggest fish, and they were like, look, all I have to do is open my mouth and push air through, and like that's cool, That's all I have to do. And You're like, there wasn't that here. You And people really get caught up in the Belmont bubble, like they get really concerned about like acapella and like being really good at theory and oral skills, and I'm like, but you don't know who you are as an artist, So like you're screwed. Like if you don't come up at that and you don't kind of get your head out into the real world, look at the marketplace and look at who you actually are, and like this degree is going to do nothing for you. So you're in school and you're studying vocal and you go, okay, well want to finish. I'm just gonna stay and sing. And are you singing other places while you're in college? Are you playing in the little rooms? Um? I wasn't really. I worked at a karaoke bar at the time in Printer's Alley called Lonnie's. I was the karaoke girl, like karaoke DJ every Friday. If you my old place before this one was literally looking down on Printer's Alley. Okay, I know where you're talking about, those right there on church. Yeah yeah. I always felt bad for those people. It was good thing. I toured every Friday and Saturday and I came back on Sunday. So I oh, yeah, because that's what it was. It was crazy that down there you were the karaoke girl. Yeah, so I would I would put in like everyone's requests, and then I would sing once an hour and like climb up on the bar and sing Redneck Woman, and all the bachelor and bachelor at parties would go whoa and they giving their money and I bet you would right like people are like, oh my god. It was even the karaoke singers are good in this town, right, because you just like the best part about doing that job is you just actually make fun of people and they laugh with you, like they're like, oh, yeah, I've got a bad and you're like, yeah, I get off the stage. How was the money good? It was really was it cash? So it's just just cash. My accountant aunt wanted to kill me. She's like one of my Yeah, when I would wait tables and they would give you cash, it's just cash. Yeah, You're like okay, so great depositives or in the shoebox in my aus. So yeah. So I was doing those kind of shows, and I honestly after college, I wanted to get an internship my senior year of college because I'm like, I should just work for a publisher. Then maybe you know that will open doors and so you're not playing out as an artist sough at this point, you're just making money singing, but you're doing it at karaoke bar and just pay rent and eat and go to school. Yeah, because I knew, like if I got distracted away from school for a second, my grandma would kick my ass because she's the reason I went to college. Because I didn't want to go, she was like, you have to, and so yeah, I was like, if I don't focus on school, I won't finish. So you stayed and finished school even though you didn't want. I mean that's all. Yeah, that's cool. Thanks if you did for your grandma especially. Yeah. So then like almost the my first semester of senior year rolls around, my best friend we're writing and she's like you should. Are you going to try out for Country Showcase? Because Belmont has these four large showcases a year that are like in the arena, there's um a country, I Rock, urban pop, and a Christian and then the winner for me, each goes the best the best, and like a bunch of industry people come out and like you get all this cool stuff and you have to have a manager, and like it's real life. So the kids who were in audio degrees have to do all the audio and production so on and so forth, and I was like, no, I mean the people really get anything out of that, and she's like, you will if you do it, and I was like, I don't know, Like it feels like a waste to me because I had watched it for three years and nothing happened with any of those people. She's like, just do it. If you do it, you're gonna win. And I was like okay. So we had a week till the deadline and we wrote the two songs. I submitted and got them demoed in a week, so the songs had to be original. Yeah, So you wrote these two songs, did you feel they just take a step back when you were in this class? Did you feel like you actually vocally were in the upper tier of the people in the class? Um. I don't know. Vocally, there were people who were much better than me, Like technical wise, when I first went to Belmont, if you asked me to do one little like riff, like a melisma, I couldn't do that. Like I've been singing Rebu and Shanaia songs my whole life, like classic country and that's it. And there were people who you know, had R and B or church backgrounds, and they just do whatever with their voice. But as far as knowing who I was as an artist and applying that to a performance and applying that to song choice, I was definitely in the top tier. So you go and it's you write these songs, and you go and you record these songs and you turned them in and you have to get accepted the Country Showcase. You have to get accepted. They pick a top ten to do live auditions for, like a panel of actual industry people who I'm literally all friends with now, like they're still in my life. And then they picked the four people for the show. It's only four people. Yeah, it's only four people in the showcase. Wow. Okay. It was so cool because I got through and I actually got my first two industry dinners from just the ten people live audition from like that panel, before the show even happened. My first publishing offer, So people came to you from just being in the top ten. Yeah, from just the little panel. Laurel Kittleson, who works a big machine, was on the panel, and then Mark Brown, who works at round Hill, was on the panel. And those were my first two publishing meetings. So you make the top four, so I make the show. They asked me to close the show, so that was like a really big deal. And the three other people in the show were like, my friends, none of them are vocal majors, by the way, they're all music business majors. I'm the only vocal major. And then I won, and it like blew my mind. Yeah, I went and my best friends like, my best friend's like, I told you, look, you already have like three publishers like asking for meetings with you. And at this point, I don't know anything, Like I've been in college for four years, but I just know how to like sing and harmonize and like improvise and stuff like that. I don't know anything about music business. I'm like, am I supposed to have like a manager? I don't really know. And so I take publishing meetings and then you know, in town, if one person likes you, everybody likes you, Like that's just how it happened. You're until your coolness really cool to everybody. Then it's everybody. It doesn't really matter what everybody's actual opinion is. If everybody else like them, you've already figured the town out. That's crazy. It's a whole bandwagon. So so I get a lot of publishing offers and by the grace of God, end up at Creative Nation. Um literally my family. Like if you ask me, like, who are you talking? Five people? Most of them are in that house. And then I still have one semester of college left. Wait, it's hold on a second. So wait, you win the Country Showcase, But what about when you go to the championship the best of the best. They don't have a winner. They don't Fortunately, would you have one that you think? I don't know. I hope so I wanted to have a winner, but it didn't. They have a competition. It's just they're like, you all are all winners, religionist history. You won. They told you when you left you were the best. Wow. Okay, so after that, after you finished and you win the Country Showcase, Yeah, they thought people thought you were cool. The people are like, hey, let's let's do something. Yeah, publishing meetings. But what about what about where people going, hey, we think you can sing, you should be an artist. What about outside of publishing? Oh yeah, what about like a development deal? You know, record labels? More people are talking to you there, Yes, they started, and thank god Beth Laird, who went the Creative Nation, was like, nope, she has to finish school. Nope, she has to finish school, she has to write songs, Nope. She was always very and she still is very protective of We're gonna let Cassie be Cassie and no one's going to interfere with that. Like the labels wanted to court me the July of that year, and she was like, no, she graduated in December. You can't have a meeting with her until then. And it's cool that you trusted her this early. Oh yeah, because that's quick. I mean, and listen, I know Beth too at this point and Luke Luke's been on the podcast. So but that's a lot of trust early because you're years old and record labels are coming to you going, hey, you want to offer you some money and a deal. Yeah. I mean you gotta say no to that, yeah, because it's not like it's not like you come from this super wealthy family, not at all the complete opposite. So but I did. I mean, still this day, if she said, hey, let's go jump off that cliff, I'd be like, okay, cool, which what should I wear to jump? So you finished school. So I finished school, I graduate and in the meantime, because of that, we got to write and I literally got to check off like every dream writer I had ever had in my head. And we got a little group of five songs and we got photos to go with the songs and essentially like an EP and we're like, look, Beth is like, look, this is who she is. So when you took it to a label, you already had a package. So they didn't say we think you're this. You know what I mean, you already said I'm this, I'm this, and if you don't like it, then we shouldn't be talking. We can be friends, but you know, business no way. And it worked, Thank the Lord, and I spent I graduated, I spent the whole next year shopping labels pretty much. And then then the year in December, I signed a joint deal between Universal Nashville and Interscope l A. And so when was that, um six seven months ago? Wo yeah crazy? So so next month will be no this year, December will be two years. I've been graduated for two years. So what about from when you graduate school until that year when you finally do decide, like, what do you do in that year. So country labels started, you know, taking meetings and taking me out to dinner and talking this is what we want to do, tell us your vision blah blah blah blah blah, and my whole life. I just thought of myself as a country artist, like that's it. And I always knew I had like more soul in my voice than than some because like when Adele and Amy Winehouse and that kind of vibe came on the pop scene back in the day, my mom would be like, you need to sing that, like you can sing that. But I was just like, I see myself as country. And then I got a pop offer, Like I got a call from a pop label and they wanted to meet me, and I was like what, like this, this is blowing my mind, Like that was not intention. We weren't reaching out to pop labels. And then one pop offer comes in, and then another pop label wants to meet, and then I'm spending the whole year going from here to New York to l A, from here to New York LA over and over again. And then before I know, I have like five pop offers, like just as many pop offers as I do country offers. And it's like, what's going on? Like this is blowing my mind. My dad's having a hard time, like pop, like why are you talking about because you know he listens to Jamie Johnson and like Hank Sor and that's it. And I was like, it's a shame I can't do both because why if if these people see me over here and these people see me over here, and I kind of feel like I'm in the middle, why can't I live in both places? Like we're all humans? Does there have to be this big bold line down the middle of this is listeners over here and this listeners over here and they're separated. And my lawyer was like, well, maybe you can. We could ask, and I was like, I because you know, that's the number one thing in life always asked, the worst thing canna happen is no, Well, I got so lucky. They came to me. They paired up and came to me before I could even ask. And that's when the joint venture comes in interscope to pop label yes and that country yep. So what does that mean though? For your future? Like let me let me play Lilife Taxi or me again, let me hear this because you have been my tex second, I keep you hanging on. I mean this to me sounds like a country song. Yeah, me too. So what does that mean to someone when they go, we think you can do it all? Because I understand the the you can go a lout like I do. I've been hip hop, hop alternative. I'm most comfortable in the country because my sensibilities are in country, of course, but I'm all so one where if you look at my phone, like I've listened to a scorpion from Drake probably the last five days too. So I don't think anyone actually fits into the box that they want us to fit, and I think they put us in a box is easier to send people to the defined areas. But as someone who's crossed genres myself, how do they tell you today that you can do both? Like what kind of how do you record your music? What do you do? I don't. I wouldn't necessarily say it's them coming to me being like let's do both. It's kind of like me going I'm gonna do I'm gonna do both. And it's just like like when I go in the room to write a song, I don't say, Okay, I'm gonna write today, I'm going to write a country song. Okay, today I'm going to write a pop song. I just try to write a song that I like and like the groove I like, and it feels like me and feels authentic. So like, when this album comes together, there's probably gonna be like a three or four verse sad ass classic country song, and then there's probably gonna be something that sounds so pop slash amy Winehouse that you're like, but I'm hoping crossing my fingers and my toes and all my hair and every other limb I have that can cross that it all as a project. You hear it, and you say, that's Cassie. You can't argue with it. Are you okay with making your art your way and not being commercially successful if it's your way, Yes, But I would say about instead of like a hundred percent my way, I'd be willing to do like, okay, let's do you know what I'm saying? Yeah, because the means to continue on very mature way to think. And I've had to learn that the hard way because I was like, screw it or nothing, But then you nobody gets by bylf. So I'm so mature for your preaching to me. Let me do a commercial for one second. This has brought to us by LifeLock. I have a drink water over there. I'm gonna talk about cyber security. Ah. Yes, people. As we improve our cybersecurity on our computers, thieves are turning back stilling from mailboxes. It's like old school. We're like making our computers tough and stronger than they go back to our mailboxes. So so many threats in today's world. One week link criminals can get in, then get your mail and then know your digital words, your identity. Good thing. 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Getting your like online identity stolen? I've had mine hit hard a few times, but I luckily this is not part of the commercial. I saw that through long time ago. So I got LifeLock years before they ever became a partner. I think they're only a partner because I was a big advocate for the Yeah, so I've had people open bank accounts up in my name. Oh my gosh, yikes. Like I'm just now starting to deal with like phony calls and I call my business manager and I'm like, this is what happened. And now I'm getting good at it because I just mouth at the people and then they get because they probably see like my profile whatever they look and be like, yo, she's a twenty four little girls. She don't know what she's doing. And then I'm like, yeah, I can send this to my business manager and my lawyer if you just And they're like, oh, what about the blue check I have a blue check mark. You have a blue check mark. Yes, but the people that don't have blue check marks impersonating you. Is that happening yet? I haven't had that happen yet, thank the Lord. But I see, like, because I'm on that new Keith Urban song drop top, I have seen so many, like on Twitter specifically, so many fake Keith Urban accounts, and like some of them will be like Keith Urban fan page like none like blah blah blah. But then there are people that legitimately like use his same profile picture, have the same bio, and literally just copy whatever his tweet is and put it out. They do that to me too, and I don't like, Well, here's what I think because I've seen and I think they're foreign for the most part, don't you might because I they write and not completely structured sentences. They spell favorite with the you sometimes yea European yeah, And so they're like, you're my favorite fan, Can I have some money? Or it's like I think it's the scam is always eventually to make something off of it. They're not just over there, you know, you're trying. It's not that they get off for them to just impersonate. There's some means to an end, and some people fall for I was shooting a story maybe yesterday the day before. He the woman that gave like fo do I do? Yeah, she was aiding him. I put finger quotes up. She never met him, and he convinced her to send her life savings and she did. And so imagine though that you're one of these spammers. You're just looking for that one. You'll try a thousand if you can, if you can just get the one, And so yeah, people will people. Then a person Emmy asked for iTunes gift cards because apparently they can turn that into money. They ask for money, they ask for all kinds, and they'll go on. What they'll do too, is everybody that I follow, they'll follow are people that message me. They'll go and hit them all up and say, this is Bobby's real account, this is my account that I like to talk to the fans on, Like I took the fans on my own account. What would I get a second account to do that. Terrible I had. I've had to um, I've had people like I guess make one fake Facebook, I mean one fake Instagram. But they were just like posting pictures of me. Like they didn't say they were Cassie Ashton. They said they were someone else, but they were like using my kind of like a catfish a little. They were using you to get yeah, the pictures. Yeah. And then I had somebody make a Facebook page that was like real friends of Cassie Ashton and try to like add people on this page to like pretend that it was some like supreme messaging. That's probably someone just doing it for the attention that that that that one right there that was crazy. We played this song Keith Urban song drop Top. Yeah, huge coming out music music, So how does that happen? This happened before I had music out too. So I am about to fly home for were Thanksgiving. I never fly home. I always drive, but we were only gonna be there for like two days, so I was like, let's fly and I fly home. I'm from California, Missouri, Tina little town for people listening who don't know. And I get an email before I'm about to turn my phone off on the plane and it's from some weird, weird ass email and it's like the subject is Urban and it's like, hey, k I've got a song like I really want you to hear, like you have the right swagger? Do you want to hear it? Like, and it said k you, And I was like, no, way, this is weird. Like again, I'm thinking it's a fake, completely fake email, because like it was like some stuff grammar wasn't right or like it was just very fast typed you could tell. And I was like, somebody's pretending to be Keith Urban. That's so rude. So I screenshot it and I send it to Betha Luke and I'm like, this isn't right and and Luke was like that's not the email I have for him, and I was like, man, people are weird. Like that is some extra steps to to be to be a strange human. So then um, the next morning and I'm like telling my dad because I get home and he's like, that's so weird. People are weird because it blows his mind every day because like he's been in the same four thousand person town his whole life, and so he doesn't think stuff like that really happens. And I get a text message from an unknown number and I was like, hey, I sent Keith your email. Um, so check your spam. I hope you didn't delete it. And I didn't have the number save, so I'm like, man, somebody's really going to links to be weird right now. And um I again screenshot at the number and sent it to BETHA Luke and and Beth's like, that's Cindy maybe dumbass, like she's the one of the heads at UMG. And I was like, oh, I should probably really say that. So it's like six am in my dad's shop, like where the boat and and it's I stay in the RV in the shop because I like to like be private, and I start running around the shop screaming because like it's real, right, And I texted Bag I got the email. I almost deleted it because I thought it was fake, and she's like, yeah, I'm I'm gonna give him your number if that's okay. And I'm like, yeah, that's okay. This was like November of last year and my boyfriend comes out of Camper and he's like what are you doing? Like why are you scream, so are you okay? And I was like the email, what's real? Like I can't believe it. And so I get a text um later from Keith and he's like, hey, k like Sydney gave your number, Like what do you think do you want to hear the song? I'll call you in a few And I was like, oh, ship, Like my dad lives out on a like fifty acre farm in the middle of nowhere. Our closest neighbors are like three miles away. They're Amish, like there's nothing out there, so that means there's like no cell phone service. So I'm like, we gotta go town because like if he if he he calls me and I miss it, I'm gonna be piste. So I text him and I'm like, hey, if I don't answer, I'm driving to town. Just text me. I'll call you back. So we go in the little grocery store and I have like sunglasses on because I don't want people try to talk to me, and the Keith Urban calls me and I have to be like yo, hold on, Keith Urban's called me like I but I didn't want to sit in my car because that felt weird. We had to get stuff anyway, and so I'm like sitting in the little deli section of my grocery store and I wait for probably an hour and he doesn't call, and I'm like, he's Keith Thurber. He's dizzy, like you gotta still do you can sit in this grocery store all day long. And so my boy was like, come on, we should go. He'll text you like it's fine. So the day goes by, and then it's that night and my dad and I and my little brother and my boyfriend, my best friend and her boyfriend are all in the shop like drinking or whatever, and Keith text me and he's like, hey, I'm just trying to call you. And I was like, oh, Dad, or I do. And it's a big like the shop is like a big like aluminum building, and he's like, if you go stand in that doorway right over there and don't move, the call won't be dropped. And I was like, you gotta be kidding me right now. So I go stand in the doorway and I'm like, I swear if I hang up on Keith, but I'm gonna be so mad and it'll take like fifteen minutes drive into town like this is not right down the road. And so I call him back and he's like, hey, like so you're really on a farm like with tractors, and I was like yep, like there's cows. Like I'm standing in this doorway trying to get his cell phone servants like if I drop you, I'll drive to town and and you know, call you back. And so then God, the call lasted the entire time he sang to me on the phone, and everybody in the shops like trying to listen in on the call, and I'm trying to close the door behind me so i can get some privacy, like leave me alone. I'm trying not to fan girl and like squeak when I talked to this guy and he's singing to me, just just go over there. I'll tell you when I get in. And so he's like and I was so like honored at how he wasn't expecting me to do it. He was like, I want to make sure this is on brand for you, and I want to make sure that it's right for your artistry, because I wouldn't want you to do something that wasn't you know you, even if you could sing it, and that like meant so much to me because he wasn't just talking to me. It was like a voice, you know, that could sing. He was looking at me as like an artist and really caring about what I do um and what I want to portray. And so I'm thinking this can be on McDonald have a Farm, and I'm must sing it. I don't care what this is. It could be the worst song in the history. I'm singing shit out of it. Because he tells me you sing the entire chorus by yourself, and I was like, what, Like that is mind boggling to me. So he sends me the song. I'm waiting for it to download, you know, because when I fire off there so damn slow and I go out in the field away from everyone because I'm like, y'all get out of my business. And I listened to it and I thought it was amazing song and it sounded like literally a summer anthem, like all the drunk girls in the crowd are going to scream this chorus like along with me. So I called him back in the morning and I was like, I'm in like that's so awesome, And then I again ran around the shop just screaming. So excited. Um, that was like the biggest early Christmas president ever out. How did you know? He went to Cindy May, the lady that texts me that is one of the heads at the label, and described what he wanted and she was like, I got the girl for you. So I've never told this story, but I feel like it's a good share time. I was at Keith's house and this is a pre the record, and I've tried too for most of my time here. I've kind of let my guard down a bit lately, but I tried to not have any friends so I could be super objective. If you don't have any friends there artist, you can always still have an opinion and not worried about hurting or really helping. You just want to be honest. But I've said before that there are certain people that I've tried to not befriend, but they're they're really good people. So why would you keep someone that's not super awesome out of your life? And keeps one of those guys and he is, So he calls me, he goes, they probably come over to the house. And this is way before the record and I'm only telling the story. It was this this he had a conversation about the song, and he goes like, I got cast him a song and I was like, I'm the biggest Cassie fan. I said, I was a fan of Cassie far I even knew what Cassie looked like, like I only heard her voice, and I was like, that's different and distinct, and it's like this. He was telling me this. He's like, picture this. You're driving a coach Hell. He's like describing this song. He's like, this is why I want. This is the picture I wanted to pay. You're driving a Coachella. It's all the females of that. And he's like and then here it is and he hits the hook of the song and it's your voice right there, and that was it. And I was like, he didn't have to play the song. I was like, I'm already into it. Like whatever, he's so into it. I walk up into his house. Uh, I never told this story before. I walk up and he's I walk in and he's in the studio in his house and he's playing drums when I walk up, and he's just in his own world, just and on his own Keith Orban island of music. He's got headphones on, he's playing drums and he's like, I'm so glad you're here. And first we talked about life from and he's like, I want to play these songs and so yeah, he gives me this. That was the song he gave me the longest story about. And then he's like, I think Cassie is so awesome for the song, and I was like, yeah, dude, I think so yeah, that's what we had a moment talking about you. Yeah, he loved you. He's so nuts. And he sends me updates from tour because he had me. He has all the females that he does duets with, like do the green screen thing. So we're singing it at the concert, like on the big screens and it looks incredible. And that was so cool because his whole team was so sweet and so just the kind of people you and Keith would want to work with, Like they're cool and down to earth and they just want to make cool stuff. And he'll send me updates and be like, people love this life like it's going over so good, and I'm like, that's awesome. That's literally so awesome. And I get so many videos of girls that I don't know. Like on Instagram they d M me or whatever, singing the song like in a jeep with like the top down and they're like screaming in the song. Sounds unsafe to me. Sounds unsafe to me. You you say you did pageants as a kid, did you dance like for talent? Well, I don't know, but I mean so many of my friends that did any sort of stage as a kid also learned how to dance. Oh yeah. I was in dance six days a week from the time, yeah, from the time I was four to the time I graduated high school. So what was the goal with that? To be better on stage? Okay, so in your mind, So for me just to relate this and you can tell me the same thing. I always did comedy as a kid because eventually I want I knew I wanted to do a late night talk show, television talk show, and I wanted to be so good at comedy. That was just part of it and it was natural to me. Is that why you study dance as part of your bigger I'm going to be an artist? Yes? And because I it was a really great way to get emotion out as a kid, and I'm a very emotional person. I just like to be whatever I feel, and so that was like a great way to deal with whatever. And it was a great exercise. And I'm kind of a hyperactive human being. I have to have something to do, and so that's a great way to keep you busy. And yeah, I wanted to be good on stage. Were you a good dancer? I think so? Yeah. I have, like because I'm tall and long lived, Like for ballet, I'm five tin without shoes, and you have on some extremely high hill shoes today and I'm six by tall and you're as tall as I am today. Yeah, some big old pump sneakers. You're five tin. And it's so funny because like my grandma, my grandpa's like six four, my dad's like six three. Everybody's tall and skinny my family, but my grandma is like five four maybe. And I remember when I was growing up, I was like, I'm gonna be five tin because all the supermodels were five of tin and she was like, no, You're gonna hit like five seven and that's it. And I'm like, no, it's bullshit, Grandma will be five ten. And I remember the day I hit five tin. I like got to her house. I'm like, bro, I five tin. She's like, are you sure they measured right? I'm like, I'm sure. Look, if you put it out into the universe, you might just you believe that. You believe putting out in the university. Believe that. Um, yeah, as long as you work, if you follow it up with work. Yeah, you told me you shot guns competitively, yes, So what's that about. That was about spending time with my grandpa. Mostly um, muzzleloaders. It's the one from the Civil War, you know. It was, Oh, that's awesome. It was the most obnoxious hunting because there's mudgloading, there's to do the ball, the powder. I mean, it really is like you're having a Civil War re enactment to shoot the one stupid ball. So you did competitive musloader shooting, yes, I did. And then you have to throw knives or tomahawks. But I did tom hawks contest, well, actually us because it's some of them. They dress up and you can dress up like as like colonial or as like an Indian, and I being a theater kid, was like dope, I get to dress up as a character and shoot guns at the same time. Sweet. So did you win ribbons? Yeah? Lots of medals were good, yes, and I was like pretty much the only girl. But it's because I was steady and I was really graceful from dance like holding you know what I'm saying, whereas most people like tents up. And plus I got my first gun when I was like seven, so yeah, I got mine really early too. So a gun was never so much of a weapon or like a toy. It was always a tool. Oh yeah, for sure. I mean my grandpa, like I saw guns compatibly for so long, and my grandpa even if we go shoot now, he acts like it's my first time ever holding a gun. Like that's how like sacred and like adult. It's it is, you know what I'm saying. Do you ever take Hunter's dead? You never did. They never made me. My parents didn't. We had to to get a hunting license. So it's part of it. But I was awesome because already knew all the stuff. And you're like, sweet, I got this. It's like yeah, it's like a driver's test, like you kind of know how to drive, because again, where I grew up, there's nothing. It's a it's a small town, it's people, and so you can just drive and you're a kid, you can drive like no one's going to stop you, because who everybody kind of looks out for everybody in a small town. So by the time it was driving time, I was comfortable driving. You just have to study the book that the written part of the tote that was hard for me. I think I failed my first time because of that part. Were you a good student? Yeah, I just talked a lot. Were you different, Yeah, especially when it came about seventh grade. Maybe what was different about you? Um? Just I noticed, I think starting seventhing in eighth grade, how clicky everything was, and how I felt like people were following other people and I hate that, And I've always hated in all authentic things or people and kind of fake. And I just wanted to do my own thing because like I danced an hour away from home, and like beauty patterns were hours away from home, and everyone in a small town is kind of doing the same thing. And I like to watch fashion shows and read magazines and do kind of that. So I think it started with clothes more than anything. I was experimenting with making clothes and layering weird clothes, and you know, in middle school that's like the roughest time for a kid, I think is middle school, and yeah, that's that's when it started. And then it was kind of like, okay, well if I look different than these people, I don't want to be doing the same things they do. And it just split ways from there. I guess, so you were the weird I was a weird kid. Yeah, I was a weird kid. I was. And it makes you push away too, because you're like, well, if I'm weird, I might as well as fully embraced the fact. Yeah, I might as well just do whatever the hell I want to, because if you're going to talk about me anyway, like I might as well give you something to talk about. And if it's gonna suck, yeah, it might as well be fun for me, right, I might as well really do what I wanted, because if it's gonna suck anyway, yeah, exactly. And I'd wear something like just to piss people off, like like like combat boots and a pencil skirt and like a T shirt from Hot Topic and like a chain around my head like a headband, you know what I'm saying, Just to piss people off. For six in cheelds down the hallway and people be like, who does she think she is? And be like me, like and you know, I was president of the Drama Club and like dance captain and like a big theater nerd and choir and you know, if you're not wearing blue jeans and sperries like you're weird, you really have a sense of who you are. It's cool than listen. I'm a big fan obviously, Thank you, Cassie Ashton. Here's taxid Army. Let's play this one. Keep you hanging on too. I mean, I love I love how you sing it. I love I love the song this is. This song is the jam man. And you know, like as an artist, if you love something, if you've had it for like a year and a half, two years, and every time it comes on you're like, yeah, so what's the deal with the record? Like more music? More music? Right now, it's July seventeen. People are gonna hear this for a long time, So when are you expecting to kind of put some more stuff out there? So we have a couple more things attached to taxidermy, um, and then the next song should come out and like the next like I'd say, like two months tops, and then I think they want to do a radio single like first thing next year? What do you do every day now? Like what's what's the what's life life for you? Right now? Right now, it was finishing up like all the new stuff that's about to be out for Taxidermy, like uh, like acoustic videos and like stuff like that. And we're building brand partnerships, Like a big thing is brand partnerships. Right now. I have one with Bows and I have one with Budweiser, and I've been doing like a lot of stuff with them and gearing up for the next song pretty much, and you know, not doing any shows really because they're very concentrated on like the look, you know, and kind of let's make sure it's right for your brand. Because I always noticed like when somebody, I feel like they take whatever, they take, whatever they're given, which is great in some aspect, but in another aspect, it's like you gotta be picky about you know what kind of flavor you are, you know what flavor I am, whatever flavor you want to be. It doesn't have to be a pre existing flavor. You can make that ship up, you know, fruit loops, all the flavors of different colors. But the same flavor. They taste the same. They're not different flavors. Which one fruit loops all the different colors are the same flavor. That is bullshit. I'm telling you. It's that they don't upset about. So I get sitting here and we've talked for an hour just about I get sit here and talk for another How I find you super compelling, very interesting, wonderful on stage. You're going to be a star. There's no doubt in my mind. And it might not be for three months or nine, but you there's just certain people you look at and you go, oh, it's just it's not if it's when thank you so much. And that's as long as you don't like, do something stupid in your personal life. Yeah, you know, don't be texting and driving, yeah, because that's the thing you'll go to jail and that, oh yeah you can hurt somebody. Don't be drinking and don't drive. You know, it's just quit all driving. But you're you're you're going to be a star. We're gonna look back and remember that time that your music wasn't even out and I was like, that's so good, and then yeah, I look at you. Well as we end this anything you want to say, Um, thank you so much. I don't thank me. I don't want to. I don't want to do that. Okay, go ahead, but thank you for putting me in a class of eighteen. And the guy, the mysterious guy who said, you know this girl, thank you for like just believing me because I'm still brand spanking new, like not even out of the rapper yet. You know, yeah, I think you live out of the rapper man. Everything I've been around you have been like, man, there's something to her. What Kassie Ashday is great to see. Thanks for coming to the house. Thank you. I appreciate you being all right. There we go. That is episode Vambar Bar one thirty three with Cassie Ashton. Watch for new music you can get California, Missouri Taxi Army Right now, listen to Keith Urban's song drop Top with Cassie on it, and uh we will I'll see around. Yeah. Thanks, Thanks,