Calvyn Cass
Feature Artist - 26/August/2022
Calvyn Cass is an artist carving out his own lane in a culture conflicted with change. With many in the world embracing
the flamboyant rise of artistic expression, Calvyn dives right
in. His soulful voice is inspired by artists he loves; Celine
Dion, Destiny's Child, Bryan Adams, Brian McKnight, KC &
JOJO and Mariah Carey, to name a few. The 90s pop era
influences his lyrical writing style while the music fuses
early 2000s sounds with today's modern pop twist.
When it comes to his imagery, he goes all out. "For so
much of my life I didn't want to stand out. I was bullied
for being different and when I didn't know how
I was different I would just imitate the guys around
me to 'blend in'. It wasn't until I accepted my
sexuality that I embraced the fact I appear more
feminine. I can't control my natural features looking
more feminine but I can control how I present
them. I used to want to fight it but now I lean in.
I'd rather stand in my light and be over the top than
allow other to silence me anymore."
Calvyn moved to Canada from South Africa in 2001.
"The culture in South Africa definitely places men in
the stereotypical masculine role.
Calvyn's music always comes from an intense place. A
lot of his earlier years and experiences with cultural/life
changes give him a unique perspective. "Everyone is going
through something. My songs are sometimes about my
experience and sometimes the things I see people I love experiencing. My goal is to write in a way that anyone could
listen to my song and think of a time in their lives they felt
that way." When it comes to creating imagery to embody a
song, Calvyn says, "more is more. I love playing dress up and
bringing my imagination to life. I've got an amazing team of
people around me who cheer me on and lend their talents too.
My goal is to do what Gaga did and have a creative team to
constantly challenge ourselves with being inventive. It's about music meeting art for me."
When asked what to expect from Calvyn, he said, "I have big goals. I want to create music that stands the test of time and that moves people. I want to represent the people who stand in the shadows too afraid to be seen. Expect the most."