On the heels of announcing her upcoming album, Thrive, on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Cassadee Pope drops the second new song from the set called “Say It First.”
Written by Cassadee, Ross Copperman, and Heather Morgan, and produced by Nickolas Wheeler, Karen Fairchild and Cassadee, The Voice season 3 explains that the song is about not being afraid to end a relationship that isn’t working.
“’Say It First’ is a song I wrote about how tough of a position it is to be the one to end a relationship when you both know it’s already over,” says Cassadee of the track. “Being the ‘bad guy’ just because you said what you both were thinking comes with the territory. But not saying anything just isn’t an option. I love the nostalgic approach with the production and how it feels angsty but still vulnerable.”
Cassadee wants to bring back her pop/punk influences
Cassadee came into The Voice competition in 2012 as a pop singer, but got signed to a country label (Big Machine Records) afterward. Now, as an independent artist, and after years as a country singer, Cassadee wants to bring her pop/punk influences back to her music. The new song has a country twang, but could easily cross over to adult contemporary.
Watch the Ed Pryor directed lyric video below.
Thrive is due out later this year
Pop influences are also apparent on Thrive’s first single, “What the Stars See.” She shared with Kelly Clarkson on her show that the song came about after looking up at the starry Nashville sky. “The stars can really see everything.” It reminded her of how after a breakup, or losing a friend, “you used to know everything about them…all of a sudden you know nothing.” She added, “I’m really proud of how it turned out.”
“I wanted to name the album ‘Thrive’ because that word explodes with empowerment and endurance.” Cassadee said in a press release about the new album. “The title track talks about not just surviving something but thriving from it, and I’m at a point in my life where I can see how the hard times were necessary. I also feel so unapologetically me in this new project which makes me thrive in every sense of the word!”
Thrive is due out later this year.
