Cassadee Pope

Professions :

I have never wanted to hide my freckles. I just didn't like the way I looked without them; it didn't look like me.

hide look me way

A few girls would be catty and say that my voice sounded really high, and I sang like a chipmunk, I got a few prank calls about that a few times. But it didn't really bother me that much. I think I was so focused on music that nothing could break me or get in my way.

think me music voice

My advice to anyone being picked on for being different or for working towards a dream is to remember it's never personal. These people don't actually dislike you at heart. They're just going through difficult things in their own personal lives.

you heart remember people

We're all complex creatures, and we shouldn't have to pick one thing to be passionate about. Life isn't black and white, so we shouldn't live that way.

black-and-white black white life

It doesn't bother me that people think that Blake Shelton made me go country, because I can understand it. My immediate past is pop-rock, and people don't know a ton about me as a kid - yet. They will soon.

think me people past

I started singing when I was four years old; that was the first time I took a voice lesson.

lesson singing voice time

I would say, maybe from five years on, I sang on stages constantly. That's what I call my natural habitat: It's a place where I feel most like myself and the most confident, the most excited.

confident feel place myself

There's something about being onstage, singing my lyrics to somebody and them either listening and receiving them, or singing them back to me, that I just can't get enough of.

back me singing listening

I love when people cover songs that are familiar but have been kind of forgotten about.

songs forgotten love people

I still struggle with my low notes. It's just always been something for me: I'm not a low singer. I have a really high voice.

high me voice struggle

I've always kept writing. There's never been a moment where I went through a spell where I just don't write.

never moment always writing

I'm pretty hard on myself when it comes to my voice, and certain notes I'm afraid to hit because I'm afraid I'm going to sound bad.

bad myself voice sound

I had always dreamed of starting off in pop radio and crossing into country. I used to sing country; that was my genre when I was a kid.

kid always radio country

When I was around 13 years old, I started playing in bands and became obsessed with Blink-182 and Newfound Glory. I didn't pay attention to country music anymore; I wanted to do more pop rock stuff.

music glory attention country

It's funny - it's called 'The Voice,' but I sure as hell didn't have the best voice on the show. I'll admit it.

best hell voice funny

Anytime I can watch television, I usually do the reality show stuff unless it is, of course, 'Breaking Bad' or 'Homeland.' Then, I am all over it.

i-am bad reality television

I feel like Nashville has really embraced me with open arms. I was a little worried at first; you know, everybody knows about my immediate past, which is rock music. But everyone is coming to find out that I've been singing country music my whole life.

me you music life

I grew up singing a lot of Martina McBride, Shania and LeAnn Rimes, and because of my age, those were my main influences.

because up singing age

I went the more pop-rock route when I was around my teenage years, actually around 13 years old. I think Avril Lavigne really jump-started that. I heard 'Complicated,' and I fell in love, and I've loved her ever since.

loved think complicated love

Growing up, my parents loved Bon Jovi and Boston and Rush and all that, but it wasn't really connecting with me. I was still in my boy-band phase - Backstreet Boys for life!

loved parents me life

Adam Jones

Izzy Stradlin

Bon Scott

Brad Delp

Brad Delson

Brian Eno