Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: I come from St. Louis Missouri. I was homeschooled from pre-k through high school, and took dance from the age of 2. So, music has always been a huge part of my life, I started singing when I was 12 and started writing music when I was around 14. I fell in love with words and the impact that they can have when paired with the right music. Everyone around me through their teen years knew exactly what they wanted to do or at least had ideas, and I had zero, but the one thing that kept coming back to me was music. I started making music because I wanted to share stories and concepts that I had never heard before. But also because it was the only thing that I could honestly say I want to do for the rest of my life.
Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
A: Lately I’ve been listening to ‘I Found’ by Amber Run, ‘Greedy’ by Tate McRae, ‘Love Tonight’ by Shouse , and ‘SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK’ by Joji.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences, and why the name ‘KASEION’?
A: So many artist have influenced me throughout my life. Growing up I mainly listened to what my parents listened to which was a lot of country music or what my older brother listened to which was rock. I think being exposed to so many different artists and styles when I was younger has really influenced me and the music that I make. Sam Smith has been a huge influence to me finding my own style and being able to feel confident in experimenting with it. Lewis Capaldi, FINNEAS, and UPSAHL have all been super influential in the process of me finding out who I am as an artist.
I chose the name KASEION because it was unique and represents who I want to be as an artist. I created it by using letters from my first, middle, and last name (Jessica Kay Jordan.) It took some experimenting, but once I heard it I knew immediately that it was my name. It’s also really special to me because my middle name was my grandma’s name and I feel like I’m paying tribute to her.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘Foolish’. Is there a story behind it?
A: Yes there most definitely is a story behind it! Foolish is about what it’s like to be in your 20s and feel like you know everything about love and life. It was such a fun song to make and honesty it was a happy accident. I started writing it in an airport last December. I was sitting there waiting for my flight and I was just like I’m such a fool to keep going after this guy who doesn’t even put in the same effort. It made me feel silly and self conscious because I finally realized what everyone had been trying to tell me for years. So I did what any songwriter does, I started spilling my emotions on to paper. I wanted it to capture the feeling of being young, dumb, and in love with a side of angst, but to also make fun of how I was acting. It’s kind of an inside joke in a way.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: My goal is to release an EP in late 2024, but I will say that I already have the next two singles lined up and I’m currently working on finishing up my degree with Berklee College of Music.
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: I think the key element in my music is the lyrics. I hope that they are something that in some way or another everyone can relate to. I would describe my sound as pop with influences from every other genre. I really hate to confine myself to one style, but I will say that I try to include a bit of melancholy in every song instrumentally.
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: This is such a great question! Since I make all of my music on my own independently, with the help of a friend once in a while, overall I put a ton of time in to every detail from the song it’s self to the cover art. For some artists they may have certain numbers that they want to reach, or a status level they want to achieve, but for me all I want is to be able to make music that I feel proud of and if I only have one streamer then so be it. If at the end of the day I have been able to make one person feel understood or even feel anything, then that’s a win in my book.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: I usually start with lyrics. I find that having a story fully planned out makes it easier for me to then decide what type of instruments I want to use and melodies that I might want to try. Each song has its own process typically I will get inspiration and write a verse and store it away in my notes on my phone for later. With foolish though I actually knew right away what it is that I wanted to say so I wrote those lyrics in one sitting. As for the process after the lyrics, I come up with a melody structure and then go about playing with different sounds till I find the one that clicks and gives me goosebumps. I typically lay down an entire instrument all the way through and then once that’s done I can have a better idea of what other embellishments I might want to do. Typically I save background vocals until very last, but again each song is different and with foolish I had the background vocals figured out before I even had the leads all the way figured out.
