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. Cassadee Pope More Quotes by Cassadee Pope More Quotes From Cassadee Pope 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. Cassadee Pope 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. Cassadee Pope 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. Cassadee Pope 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. Cassadee Pope 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. Cassadee Pope think me people past I started singing when I was four years old; that was the first time I took a voice lesson. Cassadee Pope 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. Cassadee Pope 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. Cassadee Pope back me singing listening I love when people cover songs that are familiar but have been kind of forgotten about. Cassadee Pope 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. Cassadee Pope 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. Cassadee Pope 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. Cassadee Pope 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. Cassadee Pope kid always radio 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. Cassadee Pope 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. Cassadee Pope 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. Cassadee Pope 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. Cassadee Pope 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. Cassadee Pope 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! Cassadee Pope loved parents me life I'm not the best at expressing my feelings other than in songs or on paper. Cassadee Pope songs best paper feelings