Exclusive Interview with 'CASSANDRA RAFFAELE'

Cassandra is a street dancer, singer/songwriter, and music producer. Her vocal style has been compared to an Afropunk take on neo-soul, and she sings flawlessly in both English and Italian. She is well-known for her work with the alt soul groups EnnieLoud, Elio e le Storie tese, and Brunori Sas. After releasing two albums in Italian and performing frequently, Cassandra moved to London six years ago. There, she established and led a skillful trio with Berlin producer/DJ BeeOff and multi-instrumentalist Ross Grillo. The group gained recognition internationally, and they co-wrote the song “My Faults” with renowned Italian DJ Vincenzo Callea. At the 2018 New York City, its video took up the prize for “Best Video Clip.”

When The Seschen, a San Francisco-based band, was touring the UK, Cassandra opened for them. She also performed on stages with Kadija Kamara, Arlo Parks, and The Scruff. She is the sole songwriter of EnnieLoud, whose songs debuted on Clash Magazine UK (‘In My Room’) and EarMilk USA (‘The best I can’). She has since returned with her solo project, which was totally recorded in an ancient analog studio from the 1970s in Italy and was produced by Roberto Villa. She sings in both Italian and English. Check out the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how you got started?

CASSANDRA RAFFAELE: My father is a musician, drummer, songwriter, He gigged around Europe, and we followed him with my family. So I absorbed a lot of music thanks to him, playing drum, guitars, and all instruments we had at home. Anyway, I have decided to dedicate my life to music just only when I discovered to be able to write a song. That was the time, I really started with music.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

CASSANDRA RAFFAELE: I did some guitar formal training but I did a lot by myself, surrounding by friends musicians. I am curious and I love to learn from people who can give me more, thanks to their experience, attitude. The hardest thing has been to learn to be myself with music, playing “me”, finding my style, my dimension.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘CASSANDRA RAFFAELE’?

CASSANDRA RAFFAELE: Aretha Franklin, Goldfrapp, Morricone. I mean, the first artist, the queen taught me soul, the second one elegance, and Morricone gave me “imagination” to create music.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

CASSANDRA RAFFAELE: I feel the key elements are freedom, music research just to not annoying me, and emotions above all. I am looking for something could be shareable with people. I am trying to write songs that people can consider their own.

5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as INDIE?

**CASSANDRA RAFFAELE**: I have played a lot before finding my style, trying to not emulating others but trying to feel that music on my skin. Music has been an experience perpetual of life and for this, it follows me, and I follow her. It is a journey free, where nobody caring about you, as all depends on you, and the benefit of this it is that you come up with your best stuff. That is the meaning of to be “indie”.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative and entertainment?

CASSANDRA RAFFAELE: I like to tell stories, sometimes, they touch some topics involving people, culture. It’s part of the game.

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfilment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

CASSANDRA RAFFAELE: Music gives me something always. The point is to be able to give to people what I receive from her. When It happens, you can feel it, because people enjoy with your art and you feel fine too with yourself. Surely, that means not to stop creating and being a bridge between music and people, beyond the result. Art must be sincere; the rest will follow.

8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

CASSANDRA RAFFAELE: I happened to compose a song starting from lyrics. I use to write a lot of drafts on my diary. Sometimes I do not develop them, and they are only ideas. But I happened also to start a song from music or from a beat. I have experienced all creative process, although, when music and lyrics come together, that is a pure miracle.

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

CASSANDRA RAFFAELE: Insecurity. It is cunning and insidious. The moments I have been thinking of giving up. Those were the hardest moments to face.

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

CASSANDRA RAFFAELE: One significant point in my life has been my London’s experience. I have lived there in the north for 5 years. There I produced and fronted a band starting from zero, I was able to transform a little dream in reality. Living there made me grow up a lot.