Cassie Fireman Talks About Performing Live, Her Wellness Journey, And New Single ‘Chase’

Add this single to your playlist!

Cassie Fireman has definitely made a name for herself in the music industry, from performing in her well-known band to her solo music. And today, she released a solo single ‘Chase’, written by Cassie herself.

We had the amazing honor of talking with Cassie on the formation of ‘Dirty Mae’, her upcoming music releases, and more!

What is the origin story of the music group you are a part of, Dirty Mae?

C: “Well, my version of the story goes something like this…I started an all girls band called the “Panty Droppers” after doing Rock Band in NYC. Basically, you get matched up with random people, learn covers together and form a band. At the end, there’s a show and you can invite all your friends. I couldn’t really sing that well back then but it didn’t matter. It was just fun. Then I started jamming with my husband and some guys from his band. Robbie, Ben and I had a great chemistry and started getting together a couple times a week to write and before we knew it we had written an album.”

What is the meaning behind the group name?

C: “Before we were Dirty Mae we were briefly FULL MOON PARTY. The guys came up with the name (it was a full moon that night) and they were so pumped about it, I just went along. But no one could find us! Googling Full Moon Party brought up these rager parties in Thailand. It was just too confusing. I remember us finally all agreeing to change our name. We got together one night at my apartment, busted out the pens and flashcards and brainstormed names for hours. We’re a pretty loving band but there were moments when things got tense and we almost called ourselves (thank god we didn’t) BONZI APHRODITES as if that name would make things simpler. Somehow, we finally agreed on DIRTY MAE. The name Mae has a connection to Maia, the Roman goddess of growth and motherhood and anything with the word “Dirty” is just more fun so together it has this kind of strange but nice ring to it. Sometimes, people come up to me and whisper “Are you Dirty Mae?” and I’m like “No, are you?” and then I just walk away and leave them hanging. We’ve been described by fans as old world Folk-Rock Cabaret with a Ghost Folk New Orleans vibe. I still have no idea what that means but it might if you heard us play?”

What inspired you to start your solo career?

C: “When the big P hit, all Dirty Mae’s shows were canceled. We were touring along the east coast set to play 90 shows in 90 days and right in the middle, everything shut down. We were in Maine at the time, we had just played a show in Portland and then nothing. We lived with our trombone player Eric and his family for a few months hoping things would pick back up. With all our shows canceled, I had time to explore my voice and what I was going through at the time. Making music gave me a way to channel my fears and to work with them, rather than just stuffing it all down.”

Tell us more about your amazing new single ‘Chase’.

C: “Chase celebrates shaking up the snow globe of fears around marriage and seeing color for the first time in a world I thought could only be black and white. I wrote and directed the music video. That was super fun. I studied film and theater in college and I love everything about working with a creative crew on set. Chasing daylight and running from location to location with a bunch of equally excited, passionate people who love storytelling and making art as much as I do is such an incredible experience. I think what’s different about releasing my own solo music is that it feels much more personal and intimate than how I write with the band. It’s a little more raw and vulnerable but it helps keep me honest. I don’t really know how exactly but I just feel like it does. The last thing I’ll say about this song is that when my producers and I were recording this song in Joshua Tree, I was staring out at the mountains as the sun set, singing into the mic and suddenly I belted out the chorus is this totally different way. It was raw, not pretty but powerful and followed by a bunch of tears. I turned around and looked at Jordan (my producer) and he was like “YES!”.

That moment ended up shaping how we built out the track. I remember listening to the song over and over again in my car. I kept getting this vision of a lion breaking free from it’s cage, racing toward the sunlight. When I closed my eyes, I saw water trickling down crevasses of tall mountain rocks and it just reminded me that we all keep moving, somehow we all keep finding out way and I tried to capture this feeling in the song.”

What is your songwriting process like? Is it different from when you write for the group?

C: “My song process is like I get hit with a phrase or word or melody, usually early like 3am. I’ll sneak outta bed, sit on the toilet and start singing into my phone. I often feel like songs come to me when I’m in a place to receive them. But I still struggle with it. While writing brings me joy it can sometimes feel like a lonely process. But if I allow whatever wants to surface, that willingness to kinda dive into the dark is usually where I find my next song. In my phone I have tons of lyrics. I’ll write songs on my guitar and then bring them to my producers or to my band and see where they go from there. Sometimes we’ll just start jamming and write in the moment (one of my favorite ways).”

Do you enjoy performing live? What is your favorite aspect of being on stage?

C: “I love and hate performing live. I mostly love it because once I’m up on stage I feel like Elvira (who I saw blowing fire onstage once at Universal Studios when I was 10 and was forever corrupted after that). When I perform live I feel connected to myself and the people I playing for in this really special way. There’s nothing like it. Looking out and seeing people happy, dancing, smiling and sharing space in a peaceful and loving way is what I think the world needs more of right now. I rely on seeing Live music myself. It lifts my spirits and I’d be so sad if it ever disappeared forever.”

What first inspired you to get into wellness?

C: “About 10 years ago I tore my shoulder body-surfing in Costa Rica and I met this incredible yoga teacher (Irini) who helped me heal. We’d walk barefoot through the jungle balancing bamboo on our heads (sometimes she wore a blindfold). She’d take me under these waterfalls to scream as loud as I could and under a full moon we’d dance for the sea. I healed some of my worst back pain lying on huge rocks baked by the sun. The minerals, the heat, the ocean air…and Thai Yoga Massage (the bodywork that healed my shoulder). It may sound a little “Whoo Whoo”, but they were formative experiences that deepened my appreciation for nature and how much it helps me to connect more deeply with myself. From then on I was hooked on having more of these kinds of experiences. I’ve been a certified Thai Yoga Practitioner for over 10 years now and teach workshops all over the world. This year will be my 10th annual music, yoga and surf retreat so after meeting Irini, I guess I just keep coming back for more. I started combining my practice with sound-healing, using the gong, crystal bowls and other instruments. The vibrations are super powerful and wash over the whole body, grounding the mind and body. You can feel it. If I’m having a bad day, I play my gong and let out all the weirdest sounds I can possibly make and I always feel at the very least, a little better.”

Can we expect more solo work from you in the future?

C: “Yep. I have 5 songs ready to release and I’ll be dropping a new single every 1-2 months. I can wait to share this music and finally get these songs out there!”

Where can we follow your amazing journey?

C: “You can follow me and my music on instagram @cassiefireman. I have my first single and music video “Thin Air” posted there and you can follow me on Youtube. You can check out my band @dirtymae on instagram and our linktree is up there so you can check out all our music and here’s the link to balancedguitar.com. Thanks!”

Stream ‘Chase’, available now on all music platforms!

Photo Credit: JJ WOLF

Je’Kayla Crawford– Founder and Director– Je’Kayla has been a journalist for years and decided to start a publication of her own, New Scene. When not helping her team and working on the monthly issues, you can find her watching a movie on Netflix or baking using a viral Tasty recipe.