Ones2Watch Home

Cassie Marin is a name that wasn't on our radar until this smash single "Tanto" was gifted to us via one chance e-mail. Given how little we knew about her, and how curious the song made us, we reached out to get the goods from this Cuban-American chanteuse herself.

Ones to  Watch: Who is Cassie Marin? How is your artist self different from you as an individual?

Cassie Marin: Cassie Marin, the artist and the individual, are inseparable, really. Like warp and weft, both sides make up the fabric of who I am. Perhaps only a psychiatrist could properly answer this question for me, but from where I stand, we are one.

How did Miami and growing up in a Cuban-American family influence your sound?

Spanish is my first language so I naturally grew up listening to Spanish music. I didn't try writing Spanish music for most of my childhood, which maybe stemmed from being picked on for speaking Spanish in school. Subconsciously, I think my Cuban-American upbringing has always been inspiring my sound as it was always around me in my house growing up.

Has the Latin X wave inspired you, motivated you differently?

I was very happy to see the Latin X wave inspire so many people, including myself. It was part of what motivated me to continue to self-produce my songs so that, without limitations, I could be truer to who I was and where I came from.

Why had you not sung in Spanish previous to this single?

I felt as if every time I would write a song in Spanish I was trying to fit into a template rather than telling my own story, so I just waited until it felt right and my message became clear. As I mentioned above, learning to produce my own music also allowed me to further open up and get to a place where I could create a song like "Tanto."

What inspired "Tanto?"

"Tanto" is heavily inspired by my day-to-day struggles, specifically the autoimmune disease I've been dealing with for almost seven years now. Every morning I was waking up with hives and dry, raw skin. It was uncomfortable to move around or even put clothes on. I felt helpless and unsure of how to move forward with my goals, but through writing "Tanto" it helped me to develop a sense of gratitude for all that my body does for me, especially while fighting a disease.

Simultaneously the song is also a love song at parts. It's flirtatious in a way, so you can listen to it in more than one way. I suppose it is a way to remind me that no matter how tough things might get with something - like my health - music and love are always there for me.

"Tanto" has a happy & hopeful rhythm, but the lyrics are serious, how'd you settle on this sound?

While I was producing "Tanto," I didn't want to lose sight of the elements that make Spanish music so alive, so I created the song to be upbeat and hopeful. I wanted to discuss my struggles while having faith for the future and encourage others to do the same. It's not so fun to express a problem without also expressing a solution.

What’s next for you? What should people be looking out for?

I've spent the majority of this year refining my sound and finishing my album. There's a lot more music to come :)

Who are your Ones to Watch?

Bobby Raps, Corbin, Bronze Avery, and Klimeks.