Kacey Fifield co-wrote her new single Dream Girl with Sam Beresford and Michael Kamerman, which was released on 19th July, having previously released her EP Nostalgia Haunts Me in March. This year, Kacey has performed her live music at venues including the Troubadour and The Hotel Cafe, and is currently scheduling another show for New York, and is planning on releasing new music, which she continues to work on. Chatting with Kacey, she answered our questions about her new single release Dream Girl, what it was like releasing her EP in March and performing her music to a live audience.
How has it been seeing the listeners’ response to your new single Dream Girl so far, and how did you feel releasing it on 19th July?
It’s been incredible! Releasing a song is always nerve-racking, but the response has been amazing. The best part of making music is when people relate to my songs, so hearing from listeners that the track resonated with them means everything!
Can you tell us about the song and what do you hope listeners take from the lyrics?
The song was inspired by an idea I had back in August of last year about a “dream girl” who seems perfect on the surface but is actually driving herself crazy just to fit that mold. In the studio with my co-writers Sam Beresford and Michael Kamerman, as soon as we started coming up with the chorus chord progression, the lyrics “so unwell, I get possessive, and I lose myself” came to me with the melody. Building on that melody idea and thinking back to the concept I came up with in August, we shaped the rest of the song to show the contrast between being a supposedly picture-perfect dream girl and the consequences of changing yourself to fit that beauty standard. I always love a super fun, upbeat pop song with a deeper meaning hidden behind the earworm melody.
How long has Dream Girl been in the making and what was it like to write and record?
The track actually changed a lot from when we first started! We were initially working with a Springsteen-esque guitar line way back in January and, when we finished recording the song in March, we felt that the lyrics called for a quirkier, more interesting instrumental. Sam ended up playing around with a bunch of synth sounds and sending a few production ideas that we all loved! Then, we recorded some additional vocals such as the talking section and the ad-libs to fit the new track and Dream Girl became the song that it is. I love working with Sam and Michael – we also worked together on my songs Never Reply and Left Behind. They’re both so talented and unique so collaborating with them feels like a fresh perspective to my music. We really built the track together from start to finish. Having collaborators who understand my artistic vision is the coolest thing ever!
In March, you released your EP Nostalgia Haunts Me, how did you decide on the tracklist and do you have a favourite song on the EP?
I’m the definition of a nostalgic person, so Nostalgia Haunts Me was built to be an EP for those who constantly look back on old texts, relive memories, and scroll through their photo album. These songs explore a lot of the feelings I experienced my senior year of high school, from the fear of being “left behind” by my peers to cutting out toxic people, like those I talk about in Blameless all the way to coming to terms with my emotions in Numb Pill. I love each track, of course, but Self Sabotage will always be very special to me. I’m super proud of the songwriting on that one and it’s proven to be a fan favourite so it’s always so fun to perform that one live and hear everyone sing, “It rains in California every time I fall in love!”.
Is there anything you enjoyed most about working on Nostalgia Haunts Me and how was it hearing the completed EP for the first time?
I really loved the entire creative process, but recording the ad libs for Never Reply was super fun. We did a ton of random takes of me whispering, yelling, and talking in different tones to make the track interesting!
Your music career started in 2015, how would you say your music has changed over the years and do you have a songwriting process?
As a lifelong creative, my songwriting has definitely grown alongside me. I’ve always loved telling stories: I grew up recreating scenes from my favourite TV shows, writing my own scripts, and improvising one-woman musicals for my family. My childhood iPad is filled with videos of me singing songs I made up about my toys, friends, and family. Since then, I’ve truly grown to love songwriting as a form of self-expression and a method of connecting with others through shared feelings and experiences.
As for my process, it really depends on the song! Sometimes I’ll be sitting with my guitar for hours, ruminating over chord progressions and lyrics I can match to them. Other times, I get a melody and lyric idea while I’m walking outside or hanging out with friends and have to awkwardly pull out my phone to record a voice memo before I forget. I also work with co-writers and producers so sometimes I’ll come to a writing session with a fully formed idea that just needs instrumentation and sometimes I’ll show up with a three-word phrase I think would be interesting for a song and we work it out together. Each songwriting process is unique!
What have been some of your favourite highlights of your music career so far?
Playing the Troubadour this past March was an absolute dream come true – it’s such an iconic venue with so much history! The audience also had the best energy. Releasing new music is also always a highlight. I love finally being able to put my work out into the world!
Can you tell us about some of the recent gigs you’ve performed at, which have included The Hotel Cafe in May, and do you have any coming up?
Performing live is my favourite thing ever. I think live music is such a magical thing because every show is different and a special experience that you share only with those who were there that night. Being able to make eye contact and see the faces of people who connect with my music is the coolest thing ever and I hope I get to play so many more shows! Recently, I’ve played The Hotel Cafe, The Mint LA, and Purgatory in Brooklyn. I’m currently scheduling another show in New York, so stay tuned!
Where does your love of music come from and how did you start in the industry?
I’ve always loved singing and coming up with songs! I was a child actor so, when I was 10, I was approached by a music producer who wanted to work with me on making music geared towards kids. Since then, I’ve continued to write and evolve as an artist!
Do you have any favourite music artists to listen to?
There are so, so many! I love Lorde, she’s an all-time favourite of mine. I also love Charli XCX, Conan Gray, Troye Sivan, Gracie Abrams, Clairo, Maude Latour, Maisie Peters, BORNS, and a ton more. Those are definitely my favourite pop artists, but my taste is all over the place; I listen to rap by artists like Childish Gambino, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar as well as The Smiths, Jeff Buckley, Green Day, and a bunch more rock bands.
How do you like to spend your time away from your career?
I love spending time with friends, playing with my four cats, trying new recipes, exercising, going on hikes, and exploring new places!
What are you hoping the next few months bring for you and do you have any plans coming up that you can tell us about?
Definitely working on a ton of new music! Nothing I can give details on yet but stay tuned on my socials for information on the next release!
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