by Marc Fong
Static and Blur had a chance to talk with singer-songwriter, Cecilia Castleman, before the release of her self-titled debut album. Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, Castleman is a rising star in the world of music, known for her evocative songwriting and soulful, genre-blurring sound. Combining the storytelling sensibilities of Americana with a fresh take on rock and blues, Castleman crafts songs that resonate with raw emotion and a timeless appeal. Her intricate guitar work and compelling voice have already caught the attention of industry heavyweights, setting her apart as a dynamic talent on the rise. With a knack for channeling personal experiences into universally relatable music, Cecilia Castleman is an artist destined to leave a lasting mark.
A standout at SXSW 2024 and a member of Fender Next’s Class of 2023, Castleman has already earned accolades for her dynamic guitar playing, even drawing attention from John Mayer. With her knack for weaving emotion into song, Cecilia Castleman is poised to captivate listeners everywhere. We were excited to catch up with her and chat about her musical journey, her influences and her new album.
Cecilia Castleman’s debut, self-titled album is out January 24, 2025.
S&B: You had an amazing 2024 and you’re about to have a pretty cool 2025; tell me about your highlights last year.
CC: Last year was so fun. I got to do a bunch of shows and really some music and I opened for Marcus King and some other people. And that was really fun. And yeah, just just getting ready for the album to come out. It’s been a long time coming. I finished the beginning of the album in 2022 and we’ve just been released in singles and yeah, I’m glad it’s it’s finally getting out.
S&B: Yeah, you must be really excited. Which of the singles would you say is the most emotional for you? Because you have a very emotional sound and I don’t want to say haunting, but, you know, there’s a feeling to it. There’s a very a palpable emotion [to your music]. So I I imagine that there are some songs that are just more standout for you in that regard.
CC: I am thinking all of them really do. I mean, the one thing will standout for me is It’s Alright. Though it’s a pretty positive, I don’t know, I just feel it when I sing it and I it does make me emotional because I remember when I wrote that and how sort of, I don’t know, I was just I doubted myself a lot and so listening to it now and getting to to play it in front of people it’s like, oh, I’ve grown and it’s exciting to see who you are, so that’s probably the one where I’m like, “Oh, that really resonates. And I think it will for a long time.
S&B: And you’ve been writing music since you were 11 so you have like a whole wealth of of like experiences that start pretty early on. What got you motivated to start doing that song-writing?
CC: I think I just I loved it so much and was just obsessed over records and obsessed over music and that’s all I really thought about. I would get mad when I took career paths’ quiz you’d see in middle school and musician was never on there. And it would make me mad because I’m like well, “That’s what I want to do.” And so I never a second guessed it. I went to college for two weeks, dropped out and then I just tried working really hard at my craft and getting better and I have such a long way to go, obviously, but it’s been fun and, yeah, I’m ready to just roll this here and and work a lot at it.
S&B: Well, your album comes out real soon…on January 24th, I believe? What do you hope listeners feel when they listen to the album? It’s your first album, your debut album, what are what are you hoping that the listener experiences?
CC: I hope they maybe find themselves in my songs and I hope they relate to it and see themselves in my music, because, I don’t know, I think it’s it’s kept me company for so long, so maybe hopefully once I release it, maybe it’ll keep some other people company. I just want really want to release it and people will find it naturally.
S&B: Well, I’m pretty excited about it. From the early listens that I’ve had, I really do feel like there’s this there’s a there’s a depth and accessibility to the musical world. Really incredible. You mentioned you opened for Marcus King, but you’ve also opened for a variety of different folks. Was there anyone in particular that really stands out for you?
CC: That’s so hard. I did a couple shows with the band Inhaler and that was the first time that a crowd sung in my lyrics back to me, so that was memorable one. Obviously every show has been awesome. I’ve been so fortunate to to open for Marcus and I did a couple shows with Brett Dennen last year and opening for Ashley McBryde was really fun. She’s was so kind on tour. The whole team really…I don’t know, I’ve been lucky that everyone’s just been really, really nice and it’s such a dream to me. They’ll come to my dressing room and say hi and and that’s so cool because I’ve looked up to a lot of these artists for a long, long time. So all of them have have have been good. There hasn’t been one bad show.
S&B: And you’re playing a show on your birthday, right? The day after the album comes out?
CC: Yeah. In Nashville, that’s pretty exciting.
S&B: Are we are we gonna get to see you on the road soon after that?
CC: I hope so. I’m ready to get some tours for sure, but we’re we’re still figuring it all out, but I’m ready to play.
S&B: You are doing more than just music; you also paint, right? Do you expect any overlap of your visual art in your music when you go on tour?
CC: Oh, I’d love to. Yeah, that would be so fun. It’ll be nice when we have a great budget for that kind of stuff. But it’ll be nice someday when I can create more and I’m looking forward to that.
S&B: What are the top two or three moments memorable moments in your career so far?
CC: Oh gosh, I think making the record. Don Was produced the record. He’s like one of my all time favorite producers. And just making the record with him was a very surreal experience. Like being in LA at at one of the coolest studios for a month that was like the coolest month in my life.
And, I mean, opening for people, you know, like who we talked about, that’s been so fun. I got to go on a full length tour across the US with Patrick Droney. I was an opener, and that was like my first tour riding around in the Sprinter. That was really fun. Oh, I got to do an ad campaign with Fender, which was a dream. Those are probably my top, but everything, I mean, I’m so grateful for everything and I have such a long way to go. But, yeah, I’ve been lucky that I’ve gotten some of that kind of stuff.
S&B: We’re excited to see what happens after your album comes out and everybody gets to hear your music because it’s really incredible and it’s gonna be pretty impactful for people. I want to thank you for your time. We’re excited for the release of your album and excited to see you on at a show one day. And congratulations because I think I think you got a lot done and you got a lot coming ahead for you.
CC: Oh, thank you. That means so much.
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