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Writer's pictureMary Ann

Cassadee Pope Talks Upcoming Performance at Lynchburg Music Fest & Best Festival Foods



Thank you for talking with us Cassadee! What are you looking forward to most playing the Lynchburg Music Fest on Friday? It is a big perk that it is really close to Nashville. We are usually travelling pretty far for shows, so it is great we get to just pop on over and pop back home. I think I am most excited about playing my new music. I released a record in February called, Stages, and I don’t think I have played those songs in Lynchburg yet, so I am excited to bring some new material.

What songs are you most excited for old and new fans to hear? I really enjoy playing one of my songs called, “How I Feel Right Now,” live. It is really fun and gets people moving. I think it makes people smile. I am really looking forward to playing that one.



How do you like to get pumped up before you take to the stage? Do you have any pre-show rituals? I am kind of a stickler about vocal exercises. I warm up for sure and make sure I am protecting my voice. I also love listening to music that pumps me up. My guitar player is really good at making playlists. We listen to a lot of Charlie Puth, Meghan Trainor, and some pop music to get us going. I also like to have some alone time and get my head in the game.

Are fans going to be able to meet and talk with you during the festival? Yes! Depending on how the times and changeovers are, I usually try and pop out after my set - before the headliner. So hopefully before Easton Corbin goes on, I will be able to meet and chat with people.

There is quite a lineup this year! Do you plan on catching any shows while at the festival?Yes! I do not think I have ever played a full band show with Easton Corbin, so that will be fun. I have not seen his show in a long time.

What have been your most memorable festival experiences as a performer? My favorite moments are on stage. I have had a lot of fun this summer playing a lot of festivals. I have been singing, “I Want to Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston and it has been getting such a big reaction from the crowds. It is just one of those songs and I am so grateful to get to play it. “Think of You,” my song with Chris Young, goes over really well live too, and people like to sing along. It is really fun. But there is something about such a massive hit like Whitney’s that is just infectious and everybody sings along.

If you could curate your dream festival who would be the three headliners? Shania Twain, of course myself, and I would just love to do an all-female festival because I am such a fan all of the females in country music right now. I love Marin, Lindsey L, Raelynn, Kelsey. I love so many of the women that are just trailblazing in country music right now. It would be a fun all-day female lineup. That would be my dream festival.

What’s your advice for young artists trying to establish a name for themselves? Especially young females that may see you as a role model. There is a lot of trial and error with this profession. I have defiantly had to go through some not great things and made some not great decisions to get to a good place. So, I would first say give yourself some grace. Don't be so hard on yourself. Surround yourself with people that have your best interest at heart. It is really hard to tell what people's intentions are when you first meet them. You sort of discover it along the way. If you have a good feeling about somebody then I would say go with your gut, and if you don’t then go with your gut. I think that is really important. I think going with your gut with music in general is really important. Defiantly trust yourself, that is a very powerful thing.

Since it is taking place in Lynchburg, how do you prefer your Jack Daniels? Well, you know I have never been much of a whiskey drinker. I think Jack Daniels mixed in a pretty, fruity drink that can mask the punch of Jack Daniels would be preferable. I have had a bramble before where they muddle some blackberries and that is pretty good. But I am not bad enough to handle just straight Jack Daniels.

Music festivals go hand in hand with food! What’s the best food that’s deep fried? I love deep fried Oreo’s. That is a treat. I love good ole french fries. There are a lot of really good deep fried foods. Also funnel cakes!


Best food that comes on a stick? Cake pops, I love those!

Top tip for festival-goers? Defiantly sunscreen. Your weekend can be ruined very quickly if you don’t have sunscreen on. I would also say hydrate. There have been a few times I have had to stop my set to allow people to come in to grab people out of the crowd that have passed out. Hahaha, my tips are really boring and motherly. And go with people you know you are going to have fun with! We look forward to seeing you perform Friday, Any last words for our readers and your fans? I am super excited. I haven’t played Lynchburg since my record came out, so I am excited to play all the new material from Stages. It is going to be a good time. We are going to try and make everybody move, have fun, smile, and just escape.



Cassadee Pope is a Grammy-nominated, Platinum-certified singer-songwriter who has recently released her highly-anticipated second solo album STAGES, featuring hit singles “Take You Home,” “One More Red Light,” and “If My Heart Had A Heart.” From fronting rock band Hey Monday to winning season 3 of The Voice and releasing her #1 debut album Frame By Frame, Cassadee has effortlessly re-arranged the lines of country and pop. She has experienced tremendous success throughout her career, with her Platinum-selling single “Wasting All These Tears” being named “Breakthrough Video of the Year” at the 2014 CMT Music Awards and her #1 hit “Think of You” with Chris Young receiving a 2017 Grammy nomination for “Best Country Duo/Group.” Cassadee has toured extensively, joining legendary artists Tim McGraw and Dierks Bentley, playing London’s iconic O2 Arena during C2C: Country to Country Festival, and earning the distinction of the only country artist to perform at 2018’s Warped Tour. Cassadee performed “If My Heart Had A Heart” on the TODAY show, and toured with Maren Morris on her GIRL: THE WORLD TOUR. Cassadee continued to tour throughout the spring as the headliner of the “CMT Next Women of Country Tour,” which brought the franchise outside of the U.S. for the first time ever. For more information about Cassadee, visit CassadeePope.com.



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