Cassandra Johnson Takes Time to Reflect
The Saint Paul singer/songwriter and self-taught guitarist talks about their debut album "The Songs You Missed" and more!
In the break room of your corporate office hangs a cat poster that says “hang on.” We have no idea how the feline got stuck in the tree but their perseverance to hold on is an excellent motivator. Inside that same office space is a poster that inspires you to keep moving forward no matter the obstacle is in your way. For Saint Paul singer-songwriter and self taught guitarist (and founder of Friday Riffday) Cassandra Johnson they have followed the wind pushing them to release their debut album The Songs You Missed.
The five songs on The Songs You Missed reflect on longing, loss, and loneliness and allow listeners a deeply honest and autobiographical experience. In our interview below you will another chance to know Cassandra Johnson. Together we discuss teaching themself guitar, their influences, Friday Riffday, and more!
1. Mustard is grateful and appreciative to have you join them at Music Shelf. How are you doing today?
I’m doing wonderful! Excited for my conversation with a condiment!
2. Growing up you sang in choirs, played trumpet, and studied music in college but was still trying to find your voice. How did these things help lead you to finding your voice?
Mostly I think these experiences helped me weed out the paths I didn’t want to take in music. I loved singing but I didn’t want to be in choir forever. In college I studied a major that I thought I “should” do but didn’t really want to do. I had this feeling that something was still missing. All of these things gave me confidence and connection to other musicians in my ensemble or classes.
3. During the 2020 lockdown you taught yourself guitar with the thanks of YouTube and self discipline as your teachers. Could you share more about your creative process during this time? For those wanting to learn guitar as well, who do you recommend they check out on YouTube?
I kept a pretty regular routine in lockdown - wake up, journal, breakfast, and then guitar/vocal practice. Guitar usually lasted 2-4 hours depending on my energy. I kept a practice notebook and used a timer to keep myself on track (don’t get me wrong, I got side tracked VERY easily and still do). There were so many songwriters I wanted to sound like and I would dig for anything that gave insight into their playing/writing/influences. I watched so many interviews, slowed down live performances, and watched any lesson I could find. When I started I was really into Emily C. Browning, Madison Cunningham, Yvette Young, and Cory Wong. For beginners I swear by Justin's Guitar! He is a great teacher with an amazing catalog of free lessons. His website has a practice structure that helped me stay focused. I also participated in the She Shreds 1-Riff A Day that helped my tap into my creativity on guitar. Eventually that inspired Friday Riffday which kept me accountable for writing at least once a week.
4. Four years later Mustard wonders: what is your creative process now? How has it evolved over time?
I keep a running note in my phone that is full of random things that I want to draw from- turns of phrases, places, reflections, lyrics. When I sit to write I will grab the guitar and look for a riff, then lyrics. If nothing comes to me in 5 minutes or so I will open my note folder for inspiration. I’m always recording what I write and listen back the next day to edit and keep momentum. Some songs take months, others take minutes. I also use Logic a lot more now. Throwing together a quick drum beat or chord progression on the keyboard can help get the juices flowing for guitar.
One I still do is my morning journaling! That is essential for me to get deeper into the corners of my mind while also getting through any rumination so my head is clear the rest of the day. As far as guitar, practice and playing was a way for me to distract myself from loneliness. Moving to a new city in the pandemic was really isolating. I also lived alone for a few years which was hard to say the least. So sometimes my growth doesn’t feel as glamorous when I remember that. Nowadays I don’t play as much on my own but that’s because I get more time with other musicians or my friends so that’s a win to me!
5. Mustard has observed that writing is one of your favorite ways to process the world. How does songwriting help you better understand the world and your peers?
When I’m songwriting I get into a flow where I’m not ruminating, I’m just singing without a filter. That can uncover some deeper thoughts that surprise myself sometimes haha. Giving those thoughts a voice makes my mind quieter and my anxiety smaller. Then I have more space for joy or to be more present with others. I’ve written many songs about my friends. Sometimes about stories they tell that break my heart or the ways their love has impacted me. Those songs have never made it beyond my room but that might change soon! Obviously I write about big emotions like grief, self-doubt, and pain - I try to write those in a way that other people can connect with and feel supported by because that’s what music does for me. I rarely cry on my own but with the right song, the waterworks are bountiful haha.
6. Who (or what) influences Cassandra Johnson?
There are so many for “who” haha but my current influences are John Prine, Bon Iver, Tom Misch, Adriane Lenker, Plini, Andy Shauf, Alvvays, Faye Webster, Carole King, and my partner Conor Lee. Also my Astronomy Town bandmates, my family, and my students.What: Nature and art. I have such an appreciation for visually beautiful things.
7. In addition to your own solo work you also work as a guitarist for The Good Time Gals, have accompanied Sammie Jean, and compose music for your band Astronomy Town. How do you balance each of these projects? Is your approach for these projects different from your own solo work?
My approach is definitely different for each thing. I almost have to see them as separate categories for satisfying my many interests. When I write and perform for Astronomy Town, I mentally put myself in the roll of “Casstronaut”. That’s not something I have established as part of the band lore, it’s almost like an inside joke with myself. I’m also a huge fan of to-do lists and timers. I will work on one project til the timer goes off. Then I will step away and do something mindless to reset, then on to the next project.
8. As a condiment, Mustard is curious, what are some signs you may be in an Astronomy Town? What role does astronomy play in your life?
First thing you notice is that the stars shine during the day. Coffee shops open at night and libraries will rent out telescopes. And of course the music is always fire. Our band brings a welcomeness to each show and vast landscape to each song - so many new frontiers at every show! I was a huge Astronomy nerd growing up. My hometown had no light pollution so you could drive out to some random road at night and see the spiral arm of the Milky Way. That beauty and vastness cleared all my worries, I could never get enough. My Dad got me a telescope yeeears ago that I still use regularly. My username go-to has been Casstronaut since middle school and I used to look at the NASA “Astronomy Picture of the Day” everyday in college.
9. When is the best time to enjoy a coffee and a Guinness?
Any time of day, any day, but it always tastes best when you can have it with a companion.
10. Mustard wonders if you could share more about dilation? What does it mean to dilate something? Do all humans need to get their eyes dilated?
To dilate is to expand. When I wrote Dilate I had been going through an uncomfortable time of change that was essential to who I am now. It felt like growing up -> expanding -> dilate. Also I literally had my eyes dilated on the day I wrote it hahaha
11. Mustard has also observed that you are the founder of Friday Riffday. When did you first get the idea for this series? How has it helped inspire authenticity in music representation on social media?
Friday Riffday was pretty early in my guitar journey in May of 2020. I was posting short videos on Instagram of myself playing guitar randomly throughout the week. I realized if you scramble “Friday” you kind of get “Riff” so I leaned into that by making my little videos a Friday thing. I was posting videos for 2 reasons- 1) to hold myself accountable. 2) to make guitar videos that showed imperfection and weren't all about “shredding”. I wanted to see those types of videos when I was learning guitar but I didn’t find any. It started to become discouraging as a novice player so I decided to make the thing I needed - honest and authentic playing with mistakes and reactions, especially for someone who isn’t starting at a young age. Honestly the whole thing helped me feel more comfortable in my own skin and embrace the goofball that I am haha.
12. Over 1000 posts have been shared to Friday Riffday. What has it been like to watch the community grow with you?
It was wild and beautiful! I never thought it would get to the volume it did. Everyone was so encouraging of each other and genuinely engaged with other peoples riffs. Some collaborations even came from it which makes my heart so happy! I would look forward to seeing what others would share, I was floored by the talent and everyone was so unique. I had one person tell me that Friday Riffday helped them get into a band. Even my band Astronomy Town came together thanks to Friday Riffday. Sometimes I wish I was still posting regularly but there was a point that I felt too much pressure to post/be perfect. Obviously that went against my original plan for Friday Riffday so when I slowed down which felt natural. Every now and then I still pop in for a post.
13. Mustard would like to congratulate you on the release of your debut record: The Songs You Missed. When did you first begin working on this project?
Thank you! I would say the gears started turning in fall of 2023. I had so many songs that I wanted to release but I also kept writing new songs so I struggled to nail down which songs to put on a record. My whole life I’ve struggled to finish projects and I didn’t want my songs to go unrecorded because of this barrier so I finally committed to a collection that I locked in for this record.
14. Mustard wonders how long we have been missing these songs for? How does it feel to have these songs out for everyone to enjoy?
Settle Down is the oldest song on this EP which was written in early 2021. Sweet Senses is probably the next oldest. Tumbleweed, Empty Seat, and Where Will The Wind Take You were written in the same week in 2023. The last song was written only a few weeks before I started mixing so I sort of consider that one a bonus track! I feel so many things now that they are out. I’m hopeful that I will have true fans that genuinely enjoy the songs. I am scared of any hate or negative judgment since there is so much of my heart in these songs. I’ve had many heavy moments thinking about the inspiration behind these songs and the heartfelt messages from loved ones. I’m also a little relieved it’s over haha.
15. Listening to this album Mustard loved how you incorporated nature throughout. They wonder what your relationship with nature is? Do you have a favorite spot to appreciate nature?
Nature is one of my best friends. I always feel a pull to be outside- it centers me when I’m anxious or overwhelmed. I always appreciate the beauty of nature which is why I think it inspires my music so much. In another life I think I would have been a park ranger haha. Even when I have a hard time sleeping I will imagine the most beautiful scenes I have visited. Right now my favorite spot to visit is Battle Creek Regional Park or Lake of The Isles.
16. The songs on this album reflect on longing, loss, and loneliness. Could you share more about how you structured this album?
I wanted to strike a balance between songs that I wrote while processing the death of my dad but also weaving in some lighter/upbeat arrangements. I took a day to listen to every song I had written and sort of ranked them based on the general theme, the energy, and if I actually wanted that song to be available to the public. Being that I was deep in grief and living alone (also working from home) when I started this EP, I knew that was the most natural route.
17. Since releasing this record have you figured out where the wind will take you?
The wind seems to be slowing down and telling me to rest and reflect. I have so many ideas that I want to sort through. Recording music and producing has been SO fun, I would love to do more of that!
18. A human invites their friend to see Cassandra Johnson perform. What four words best describe your live performances?
“She should do standup” hahaha
19. What is on the horizon for Cassandra Johnson?
For solo music I have a goal to release a short instrumental EP under a different project name (stay tuned!). I feel the fire to get started arranging the next songwriter album. The songs are picked and it’s gonna be a fun one :) Astronomy Town also has plans to release new music in 2025.
20. Where can readers listen to your music?
I’m streaming on all platforms! Here are a couple of links:
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music
Music Shelf with Mustard is a publication that interviews independent musicians from all across the globe. It is read in 44 states and 42 countries. Check out previous interviews here.
Music Shelf with Mustard originally began in early 2021. Inspired by independent musicians on social media application TikTok Mustard knew they had to do something to help share their music. Shortly after Music Shelf with Mustard was born. Its goal is to highlight independent artists from all across the globe. Mustard appreciates you taking the time out to read this interview.