Frame By Frame

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The next chapter in Cassadee Pope s musical diary is one she was born to write. The vocal powerhouse, who has been singing since she was just four years old, says, this is my chance for people to really understand me inside and out. I ve never felt so exposed in my music and it feels incredible. Now taking a solo turn after fronting two bands, Cassadee will fulfill a lifelong dream upon the release of her debut album FRAME BY FRAME for Republic Nashville, as it takes her back to her country music roots. She lived and breathed country music until her teen years introduced a larger melting pot of musical influences, ranging from pop to punk and rock. Even with this variety, her songwriting always stayed true to country music s foundation: honesty. Growing up, I sang country. It s what I love. You re telling stories that you ve gone through or that people you know have gone through, and you try to be the voice that relates to them. As a songwriter, I ve always loved to tell stories Country music is about being real and genuine; which lets me get really personal and explain different parts of my life. Cassadee s solo album bleeds authenticity, as she tackles topics from childhood despair to whimsical romance. She teamed up with some of Nashville s most celebrated songwriters to put her life stories to music, perhaps most poignantly with 11, which reflects an extremely painful time in her life -- yet one that helped make her the strong woman she is today. It s about me going through my parents divorce. When you go through that as a kid, weird things go through your mind and you have no control, the singer-songwriter reflects. 11 has me opening up probably more than I ve ever done before. Good Times is another upbeat track that champions living life to the fullest and denounces dwelling on the negative. You Hear a Song, co-written with Grammy winner Nathan Chapman, the track embraces both the singer s vulnerability and humility. Like anyone, I get insecure about things, Cassadee admits. I hope this song will be helpful for someone who might not have anyone there to lift them up. Wasting All These Tears was chosen as the album s first single not just because of its relatable lyrics and soaring vocals, but also because it was not the safe choice. When I first heard that line, I tried to find you at the bottom of a bottle, it reeled me in. That was the moment I knew it was a really special song. The singer knew that Nashville was the only place in the world she could make the album she d envisioned for years. In fact, when she was fronting bands, she frequently visited Music City for songwriting sessions. Thus, country was neither a lyrical nor melodic stretch, as she came up with a foolproof formula. I can keep writing the same sort of music and still stay me, but instead of over-the-top production, we ve kept it driven by more acoustic sounds. Cassadee herself is the one to credit for the decision to give this album country flavor, taking her career full circle. Her prize for winning Season 3 of NBC s wildly popular competition show, The Voice, was a record deal, and she went into her first meeting with an adamant request: I want this project to reflect where I am today and I want to record in Nashville. I never had a second thought; it was a bullet-proof decision. In country, I can be myself and it feels good, she says. While Cassadee is focused on the promising road ahead, she s grateful for her rearview mirror s view. I ve never worked harder in my life and will continue proving myself. Music is my life. It s not a job. I don t go home and do something different. I m either talking to fans online or working on music. It s a 24/7 thing, and I love it!