Cassadee Pope's career has been quite remarkable. She first gained recognition in the music industry as a member of the pop-punk band Hey Monday in 2008. However, the band decided to take an indefinite break in 2011. Subsequently, Pope auditioned for the NBC reality singing competition The Voice in 2012 and emerged as the victorious winner, securing a valuable record deal. Fast forward to today, more than a decade after she participated in the show, she is making a triumphant return to her pop-punk origins with her latest album, Hereditary, after exploring the country music genre. When Cassadee first decided to pursue a career as a musician, she was inspired by Mariah Carey's appearance on a TV special. She was drawn to Mariah's joyful demeanor, beautiful voice, and overall presence, which made her want to pursue music. Starting at the age of four, she began taking voice lessons after her sister's voice coach offered to teach her while her sister recovered from surgery. She vividly remembers feeling frustrated at first when trying to produce vibrato, but when she finally achieved it, it brought her immense joy and solidified her love for singing.

“When I was 13, I sang with a house band upon the suggestion of my local managers. They encouraged me to gain experience with live music. The band was playing at a high school party, and I sang "Semi-Charmed Life." That moment made me realize that I wanted to be in a band. Before that, I had only sung to tracks, but from then on, I knew I wanted to perform with a live band.”

In her previous music releases, you can clearly hear Pope's growth as an artist, showing how her music has naturally evolved over time. When she joined the TV show The Voice, she was open-minded about her musical direction and wasn't sure which path to take. It was clear that she wanted to move on from her band, Hey Monday. "I was unsure whether to pursue pop, rock, or country music, and my genuine evolution towards country music on the show was truly authentic. It wasn't scripted nor a result of any influence from Blake. I had been singing country music since I was a kid, so it felt like a return to my musical roots.

As I navigated my career in country music, I felt like I found my niche within the genre, blending elements of pop, rock, and country. I even experimented with a pop-punk/country fusion, but it didn't quite resonate, leading me back to rock music. I take great pride in following my instincts throughout this journey. While there were occasions when I ignored them, for the most part, I strongly believed in the decisions I made. Looking back, despite any missteps, at the time, it felt like I was pursuing what I truly wanted and needed to do." Pope explains, "I used to feel like I had to fit into a certain category and tried hard to make myself likable to others. I thought it was genuine at the time, but I had set many limitations for myself, which I now realize were self-imposed. I also feel like country music has a way of imposing boundaries on you. When I stopped worrying about that and allowed myself to engage in the songwriting process freely, I found myself naturally gravitating back towards pop-punk. That’s when I wrote a song that I feel solidified my return to the genre.”

In early January 2022, Pope co-wrote a song with her friend Ali Tamposi, which became the main track for the album. They wrote it just for fun and without any specific goals in mind. “It was the first song I saw myself embracing that genre again, and it felt really good. So, I continued in that direction, and before I knew it, I had an entire album finished, and things just progressed from there," she explained. The creation process of Hereditary was fun for the singer/songwriter. She made it a family affair by working with people she had known for years. Working with a childhood friend from West Palm Beach, Florida, Ali Tamposi, brought that sentimental touch to the album, which was really important to the direction of the album.

Jaime Zeluck, founder of NonStop Management, helped organize recording sessions that took Cassadee to Los Angeles to work on writing and vocal recordings for her album. Cassadee said, "I wrote all the songs in person with everyone, and we recorded the vocals and the basic elements of the songs in one day. I was thrilled with the vocals that ended up on the record when it came time to choose the songs for the album."

Pope reached out to Daisha McBride, also known as “The Rap Girl,” for a collaboration on her track "I Died." McBride was excited about the partnership, and they teamed up with Pope's friend Jake, who skillfully produced the track. When discussing the "I Died" music video concept, Pope shared her vision, saying, "I connected with Ed Pryor and shared my concept. I envisioned a dark and mysterious vibe - a mix of Hot Topic and Blair Witch Project, with some eerie graveyard shots. I wanted the video to convey a sense of death without being overly scary." Pryor suggested using a camcorder and came up with the idea of depicting Daisha and Pope as willing ghosts haunting their exes. They filmed the video in the woods outside of Nashville from 9 P.M. until midnight, using fog machines to create an unsettling atmosphere. The fog became so thick at one point that they couldn't see what was in front of them, adding to the overall spookiness of the video.

"When I look back at the process of creating the record, I realize that I have gained a lot of self-awareness over the past couple of years. I often felt a sense of clarity throughout the whole journey. Even though there are songs about heartbreak, self-sabotage, or insecurity, I see it as an expression of my self-awareness and acknowledgment of areas I need to work on. It's also about recognizing what makes me unique and expressing my emotions. I'm embracing a darker aesthetic with blacks and dark blues while incorporating fun monochromatic moments with my pink hair. Even the love songs intentionally have a touch of bittersweetness, as they reflect that outlook."

Pope's heartfelt message to her fans and listeners about her album "Hereditary" is centered around finding comfort. She opens up about how she hopes her audience will find solace in the inner thoughts and emotions she expresses through her music. She reveals that many of the songs explore personal struggles and inner dialogues that she had previously kept hidden due to embarrassment or reluctance to acknowledge those issues. Pope's ultimate desire is for her audience to feel validated and understood through her music, as she candidly admits to her imperfections while striving to better understand herself for the benefit of her relationships and collaborations. She stresses the importance of acknowledging one's faults and hopes that by doing so, people will find the courage to embrace their imperfections and seek comfort in their own lives.