Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: Music has always been extremely impactful in my life. It’s actually one of my earliest memories. It’s funny how a good melody or phrase can get stuck in your head—and it’s very powerful. Being an artist and putting your personal thoughts, feelings, experiences, emotions into a work of art and then releasing it into the world is a very scary, but a very powerful and cathartic thing to do. I have a great respect for fellow artists. It’s not easy.
I’m an actor as well, and when I was a kid, I did a lot of musical theater. I came from that background, but I always listened to pop music as well, so that was my dual education in a sense. I was also always writing. I think I wrote my first song at like twelve years old. The formulaic structure of pop music always came natural to me.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Cody Carrera”?
A: I feel like this is such a loaded question nowadays. I was watching the show Hacks on HBO Max and there was a discussion between the two main characters about creating art vs content and I feel like it was SO spot on. There’s a huge difference between art and content. I’m an artist, not a content creator, so I’ve had to balance keeping my promotion separate from my private life. It’s not natural for me to constantly be posting. I’ve never been one to post everyday or post a picture of my meal or something (laughs.)
That being said, streaming services are still very bias in only promoting label artists and we are in the digital age of quantity over quality. All that said, I am very grateful to have the capability to release my music and promote it. It’s a double edge sword. The biggest thing is, I would like to perform live more. For the anniversary of my album in October, I performed a small set at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, GA. I feel like that was getting my feet wet, It made me want to perform live even more. Performing your songs in front of a live audience gives your songs new life and can potentially reach new people. The other thing with me in regards to promotion is I’m always doing visual things with my music. My music is extremely visual. I came into this having had an acting career the majority of my life, so I thought making music videos is an excellent way of showcasing who I am as an artist and reaching new people. It gives you another dimension to your music. Every song on my album has an accompanying music video expect for two.
As far as what message I have, I want people to know that they’re safe and my music is for anyone who’s ever felt alone. If people can relate or find comfort in my music, then I’ve done my job.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: Well, there is no one above Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift for me. I love so many artists, but these two ladies are my favorites—and for different reasons. Taylor is one of the most incredible writers and her writing is unmatched. She’s also such a brilliant business woman. Gaga is a true original, and an artist in every sense of the word.
People have a big misconception about music and song writing. It isn’t all biographical or comes in one way. I can find inspiration in a story, a film, or someone else’s life. For example, my song Witchcraft on Your Lips is based off a quote from the Shakespeare play, Henry V. The majority of my songs off my album are autobiographical, but I can find inspiration in a lot of things. It’s not a formula. I can write a song in minutes, but sometimes I have to ruminate with the idea a little. It’s a lot about listening to your instincts.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the album, “Shattered Signs & Deadly Sins.”?
A: Oh goodness, I’ve told this story in every interview, but I’ll tell it again. It was a five year long process. I had two EPs (Fire and The “Witch” Chronicles) and then I wrote three new songs. After my father passed away in 2019, which was the hardest thing I’ve ever been through- my life changed. I wrote the song Shattered, which is the first song off the album, about grief. I re-worked all the songs from the two EPs and recorded the three new songs because I felt like it truly fit together as a body of work. The reason it’s called Shattered Signs & Deadly Sins is every song represents a Horoscope sign and there’s a lot of religious and Biblical references on the album because my relationship with God is very important to me and he created the stars.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: Avant-Garde. My music is definitely pop music, but it absolutely falls into the sub-category of “Avant-Pop”. I’m not weird just for the sake of being weird though. I’m very meticulous, so any idea I have or anything I do in my art has a purpose. It has something to say or something to show—a point to make. One of my favorite artists is Björk. She’s brilliant and everything she says, does, wears, has something to say.
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “Shattered Signs & Deadly Sins”?
A: There were so many challenges both emotionally and physically. First off, getting the stems from two different producers was a challenge. One had a crashed hard drive and the other, just being real with you, tried to extort money from me to give me MY stems and vocal recordings.
As an independent artist, I also had to fund every aspect of the record myself. It’s not cheap doing music. (My website www.codycarrera.com has a store, which I also had set up for the release of the album.) Thank God it all worked out and I was able to retrieve all the stems from the eight songs. Additionally all the vocal lessons and recording sessions are taxing in and of itself. It was emotionally draining, plus we were just coming out of the Covid pandemic at the time. The album is very dark, so it felt like an appropriate timing for the release.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: The message of my music is to offer the same emotional connection and sense of understanding that great art gives to me. I want listeners to feel seen, to feel less alone in their struggles or joys. My songs are about more than just entertainment—they’re meant to reflect raw, honest, emotions and experiences that resonate deeply.
As an artist, my goal is to create work that not only moves people emotionally, but also encourages them to embrace their own stories—especially those who have felt like outsiders. Whether through music, visuals, or storytelling, I aim to foster empathy, challenge norms, and inspire connection.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: As far as artists that have passed, David Bowie would be one of the top I would have loved to collaborate with, especially in the height of his career. Hunky Dory is one of my favorite albums. As far as alive artist- it goes back to my inspirations- Taylor Swift or Lady Gaga.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: Make art for yourself. Don’t do it for likes, streams, or any other reason. It’s really easy to get caught in a comparison trap, numbers game or even shock value, but if you do it from an authentic place, you can never go wrong. That said, give it your all. Art is taking your pain and delights and being private publicly. There are risks and rewards. You can’t go wrong with that, but be prepared fro criticism. If you do those two things, you’re on the right path.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: Remember why you do this. It’s not always going to be easy, and there will be a lot of rejection along the way—but don’t let that dim your passion. Keep believing in your voice, stay true to your vision, and know that the right opportunities will come if you stay persistent and work hard. What makes you different is your greatest strength—trust that, and keep going.
