The Canadian singer-songwriter Cassidy Mann’s new song “Fine” is an indie-pop song you want to blast with windows down as you drive away from an ex that left you broken-hearted.
The song follows Mann’s classic acoustic roots and adds gentle electronic textures that perfectly match her voice's tranquility. Immersing you into the time and place her song’s story is telling.
Mann’s lyricism often draws on her own life experience, “Fine” included. She takes these small or personal moments and turns them into a powerful and poetic song that feels both personal and relatable to listeners.
However, what makes her lyrics and track stand out is how the sonic approach enhances the storyline, allowing her to share her most intimate memories in a singular way.
“Fine” uses this singular way of storytelling to capture the contradictory feelings experienced during a breakup—that feeling when your brain has moved on, but your heart is still stuck reminiscing.
This juxtaposition is emulated in the sound as well. As the upbeat sound combines with rather somber lyrics like, “fine like the silver chain you wore around your neck that afternoon in August when we talked again.”
“It's symbolic of the song’s sentiment,” explains Mann. “If someone were truly over it, they wouldn’t still notice and pine over such a tiny detail. This is proof [that] they still care.”
Mann’s storytelling has also been influenced by her Indigenous identity, being a part of the Sagkeeg First Nation. “When it comes to my Indigenous heritage and cultures, it is based around oral storytelling – songs and spoken stories,” says Mann.
“That is so fascinating to me, and it ties into my music a lot because that’s how memories and experiences have been captured in my culture forever. Storytelling is something I feel compelled to do. I think it probably has a lot to do with the fact that that’s what my ancestors did.”
Still, in her formative years, Mann is learning and growing as much as she can. Moving to Toronto and working with producer Roman Clarke, Mann is working to perfect her sound ahead of her upcoming debut EP ‘If It’s Not Forever.’
By: Zac Strater
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