While most new musicians begin playing in small, local venues, MSU alumna Cassaundra Fitch will be making her first live vocal performance on a much larger scale.
The 2014 graduate will greet thousands of spectators lining Woodward Avenue on Thursday morning as her vocal performance marks the official start to America’s Thanksgiving Parade .
Performing the song “Tell Me I’m Not Dreaming,” written by her Detroit-area music producer and writer Dan Yessian , Fitch said it is an uplifting song about the resurgence of Detroit that was written specifically for the parade.
“Everyone is talking about Detroit making a comeback, and it’s going to be great for me to kick off the parade and share that excitement with people,” she said.
The 22-year-old’s unexpected pursuit towards a career in music began last December when Yessian was introduced to a music video that she created and posted to YouTube. After hearing her repertoire of original songs, Yessian signed her to an artist development contract.
Before getting discovered by Yessian, Fitch admits that she wasn’t aware of her singing abilities until she began college at MSU. While she has always enjoyed writing free-verse poetry, Fitch said her hobby transformed into song writing, which was followed by her experimentation with singing and playing the guitar during her sophomore year.
“My voice just started to develop along with my writing,” she said. “At first I was kind of exploring my voice and my sound to see what I really connect with, since I really started off late in the game, but I’m starting to write more toward a soulful, pop vibe.”
Influenced by singers such as Adele, Sam Smith and Amy Winehouse, Fitch hopes that her appearance in the parade will catch the attention of spectators who are interested in coming out to her local performances, which are set to begin in January.
“As I’ve worked with Dan, I have learned more and more about song writing, and I’m just moving forward and trying to learn as much as I can. I want to progress as an artist in both the short term and the long term,” she said.
By dedicating herself to guitar and piano lessons and continuing to write and record new songs, Fitch ultimately plans to make music into a career.
“One of my long-term goals is being able to play at big shows, like (Late Show with David Letterman) or The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and just continuously develop my fan base. (And I) hope that people connect with my music.”
