Casey Ray stopped us in our tracks with her confidently groovy debut, Be A Lady They Said, so we sat down with her to learn more.
If you haven’t treated yourself to a listen of Be A Lady They Said yet, you’re missing out. The Mornington Peninsula singer-songwriter tackles the darker aspects of the music industry with a soulful voice and a thumping backbeat to go.
We had the opportunity to catch up with Casey Ray and learn of the inspirations behind the debut. Take a look.
HAPPY: Hey Casey! Where abouts do you find yourself today?
CASEY: In my little home in the Mornington Peninsula. The sun is shining & the water looks amazing so I’m about to head out for my daily ISO walk.
HAPPY: Massive congrats on the release of Be A Lady They Said… what’s the meaning behind the track?
CASEY: It basically says… ‘We are who we are, be who you are & who cares what people think as long as you’re happy’. Haha. We can all be strong, beautiful, sensitive all at the same time. We’re complex & that’s awesome. Let’s celebrate it. I wrote this with memories of experiences I’d had as a woman BUT, it really is written for anyone that’s had to overcome peoples lasting first impressions without having had the opportunity to get to know them first. They can stop you in your tracks or inspire you to push on & do really cool things.
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HAPPY: How would you describe the song-writing process?
CASEY: It started off with an idea I had & a voice memo of some lyrics & melody I recorded in my kitchen while cooking dinner one night. I had a really clear vision for the message I wanted to convey & how I wanted people to feel when they listen to it.
In the studio, Rob Amoruso & I worked on getting the instrumental vibe right. Alice Blake & I worked on writing the lyrics together. It was honestly just a really cool jam session. Which is how I think it should be. That sort of music-making environment is where I’m most comfortable & you find it’s really easy to come up with funky stuff that works when you’re just jamming. Be A Lady They Said was the result.
HAPPY: What are you hoping your listeners take from the track?
CASEY: I hope they can feel a little empowered & care less about what people think all the time & hey, there’s nothing wrong with being cheeky for a second & doing it with some laughter.
HAPPY: Who were some artists that inspired this powerful sound?
CASEY: Stevie Nicks, Alicia Keys, Meg Mac, Joss Stone. I love artists like this that just make you stop in your tracks & listen to what they’ve got to say. It’s so captivating. Any artist that has some grit & grime to their music.
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HAPPY: What advice would you offer to musicians starting out a career in the industry?
CASEY: Just start & then keep going! Keep doing what’s working & learn from the things that aren’t. Lean on people that know the things you don’t & find the good ones in the industry that want to do the same things. Most importantly, HAVE FUN! It’s the reason you decided to do it in the first place.
HAPPY: What can we expect in the future for Casey Ray?
CASEY: I’m working on locking in my second & third releases at the moment. Stay tuned for that.
I’d love to release an EP. I really can’t wait to perform live again!
HAPPY: How have you been keeping sane during the Melbourne lockdowns?
CASEY: My puppy keeps me sane. She is a big slobbery Mastiff & I love her to death. I call her my baby donkey haha. Ahh, writing music, gardening, cleaning the house, working my day job from home & daydreaming about music, going for walks, writing music haha. I think I’m trying my best to stay occupied during lockdown but I have moments of crazy just like everyone else.
HAPPY: Thanks so much Casey!
Interview by Jasmine Kassis
Listen to Be A Lady They Said below:
