Kat Harlton
Lead Photo provided via PR team
Kassandra Clack, the B.C.-based pop-country songwriter, recently releasesed her debut album, Trippin’ In Heels. The album features six songs, including the wildly infectious “Where I’m At,” and the chiming and melodic first single, “Short Cut” and the acoustic ballad “Algorithm,” which was added into rotation on SiriusXM’s Top of the Country channel.
Steeped in the rich storytelling tradition of the country music she grew up with, the buoyant original songs on Trippin’ In Heels scan as pop with vibrant hayseed touches. All of the songs on the album are as bright and bracing as a May morning.
The album features an ace team, including co-writes with Canadian country stars SACHA and Elyse Saunders. Clack also worked with renowned Toronto-based songwriter and singing coach Roberta Michele, who co-wrote four of the album’s six songs and worked on vocal delivery, plus session star Adam Newcomb, who added everything from pedal steel to guitar to banjo to bass.
Clack’s debut album is a reflection of her exceptional musical vision, her abiding humor, and her strategic savvy. The multi-talented Clack acts in commercials to help underwrite her music gig, sold homemade cinnamon buns from the trunk of her car to help fund costly recording sessions and used sofa cushions to create a makeshift studio in her living room and cut the song, “Where I’m At,” when COVID laid her low. Using her challenges as things she could wrangle and get done, Clack enrolled in and completed a marketing and entertainment law-focused music business course in anticipation of things returning to normal.
I had the opportunity to chat with Kassandra about her debut album, her journey so far and what’s next.
Kat: Can you talk about the inspiration behind your debut album “Trippin’ In Heels”?
Kassandra: Trippin’ In Heels is based around the integration of all of these new found parts of myself. Life is too short to be suppressing parts of ourselves due to social standards and status quos. I hope this record truly inspires people to fall in love with new parts of themselves.
Kat: What do you hope fans connect with on the album?
Kassandra: I hope this album gives fans the courage to honour some different unknown parts of themselves that maybe they’d been suppressing in the past!
Kat: What do you find is the most challenging part of your creative process?
Kassandra: A huge challenge is balancing business with being creative on demand. Often, I need to race between business meetings and admin tasks as I run into a songwriting session and then have to be like, “be creative right now! Make magic now, Go!”
Kat: What has been a career highlight for you so far? What have you learned along the way?
Kassandra: Getting the support of SiriusXM has been a major career highlight for me as it allows me to continue growing and developing as an artist and businesswoman. Along the way, I have picked up a few tools on the intention behind song rating for radio, and I’ve got to share that wisdom with many other artists who have also been successful at achieving SiriusXM spins. Yippee!
Kat: What else can fans expect from you for the balance of 2023?
Kassandra: For the remainder of 2023 and heading into 2024, fans can expect local (BC) and Canadian shows as well as a spring 2024 international tour to the UK and the United States. New merch, new music videos, and RADIO releases are all in the queue for the near future as well! Follow me on all social media to keep up-to-date!–