We’re thrilled to welcome back Kacey Fifield, a multifaceted talent in the entertainment industry. Known for her remarkable roles on Nickelodeon’s REACT TO THAT and KIDS REACT series, Kacey has also made a name for herself as a gifted singer and songwriter. Since our last conversation in 2020, she has continued to captivate audiences with her original music, including her latest single “Dream Girl,” which delves into the pressures of societal beauty standards. Today, we caught up with Kacey to discuss her journey, recent projects, and what’s next on her horizon.
HELLO KACEY FIFIELD, WELCOME TO ABOUT INSIDER! SINCE OUR LAST INTERVIEW IN 2020, YOU’VE RELEASED A FULL-LENGTH ALBUM, AN EP, AND NOW YOUR LATEST SINGLE “DREAM GIRL.” HOW HAS YOUR MUSICAL JOURNEY EVOLVED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS?
I’ve been making music since I was 10 so, naturally, my songwriting has grown up with me. I feel like I’m finally figuring out who I am as an artist and what I want my sound to be. “Dream Girl” is definitely the quirkiest song I’ve released production-wise, from the gritty synths to the fun talking section we included toward the end.
“DREAM GIRL” TOUCHES ON THE PRESSURES OF FITTING INTO CERTAIN BEAUTY STANDARDS. CAN YOU SHARE MORE ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE SONG AND THE MESSAGE YOU HOPE TO CONVEY?
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.
COLLABORATING WITH SAM BERESFORD AND MICHAEL KAMERMAN ON “DREAM GIRL” SOUNDS LIKE A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE. WHAT WAS IT LIKE WORKING WITH THEM, AND HOW DID THEIR INPUT SHAPE THE FINAL TRACK?
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. Michael started playing a chord progression on guitar that I loved, I came up with a melody and lyrics based on that chord progression, and Sam built the rest of the track based on the ideas we came up with in the studio. Having collaborators who understand my artistic vision is the coolest thing ever!
YOUR MUSIC OFTEN REFLECTS PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND OBSERVATIONS. HOW DO YOU BALANCE VULNERABILITY AND CREATIVITY WHEN WRITING YOUR SONGS?
I’m super inspired by my life and everyone around me, so the balance really depends on the song! For example, “Self Sabotage” is inspired by the situation between one of my best friends and her ex while “Left Behind” is about the anxiety I felt during my senior year of high school. The new release “Dream Girl” is definitely inspired by my own experiences, but also influenced by observations I’ve made about people trying to change themselves to get their crush to like them or to fit the ever-changing beauty standard. I take a lot of creative liberties when telling stories through songs so that I’m being vulnerable while still making music that others can relate to, not just me.
WITH PERFORMANCES SCHEDULED, INCLUDING AT THE MINT LA, HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR LIVE SHOWS, AND WHAT CAN FANS EXPECT FROM YOUR UPCOMING PERFORMANCES?
I prepare with a lot of rehearsals and hyping myself up! Performing live is my favorite part of being a musician so I’m always super excited to play shows. Fans can definitely expect to hear “Dream Girl” live for the first time ever (!!!) plus some old favorites from my album, Between the Lines, and my recent EP, “Nostalgia Haunts Me.”
YOU’VE HAD A NOTABLE CAREER IN BOTH ACTING AND MUSIC. HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO JUGGLE THESE TWO DEMANDING FIELDS, AND DO YOU FIND THAT ONE INFLUENCES THE OTHER?
For me, it’s all about balance. Right now, while I’m focusing a bit more on music, I would still gladly act in a project that I resonate with! As a full time college student as well as an artist, it’s important for me to do what I love with the spare time I have. I love acting so I’m in an improv group at my college and I love music so I spend a large portion of my free time writing songs and playing shows. All of my experiences, including my work as an actress, shape my music. I think that’s part of what makes me unique as an artist—the variety of stories I tell in my songs.
YOUR EARLIER WORK INCLUDES A SERIES REGULAR ROLE ON NICKELODEON’S REACT TO THAT AND KIDS REACT SERIES. HOW HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE ON THESE SHOWS INFLUENCED YOUR APPROACH TO YOUR MUSIC CAREER?
Being a child actor while still going to public school my whole life definitely made me feel like Hannah Montana! A lot of my acting peers were homeschooled and thought it was insane that I was still in regular school and a lot of my classmates thought I was insane for going to auditions and shoots all the time. Because of this, my music is definitely influenced by my upbringing in the entertainment world, especially the larger shows I was on!
THE THEMES IN YOUR SONGS HAVE MATURED OVER TIME. WHAT HAS DRIVEN THIS EVOLUTION, AND HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH STORIES AND MESSAGES TO EXPLORE IN YOUR MUSIC?
As a lifelong creative, my songwriting has grown alongside me. I’ve always loved telling stories: I grew up recreating scenes from my favorite 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. My recent EP, for example, explores 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.” Now that I’ve finished my first year of college, expect my songs to address new themes and emotions that arose from this transitional period of my life!
WITH A STRONG FOLLOWING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, HOW DO YOU ENGAGE WITH YOUR FANS AND USE THESE PLATFORMS TO SHARE YOUR MUSICAL JOURNEY?
I think social media is so cool because it lets me connect with people all around the world! I love posting snippets of unreleased songs and seeing how my listeners react as well as just sharing parts of my life. I feel like it helps people better understand my music when they know a bit about me as an individual.
LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS FOR YOUR MUSIC CAREER? CAN YOU GIVE US ANY HINTS ABOUT UPCOMING PROJECTS OR COLLABORATIONS?
I’m always making music, so there are definitely projects in the works! I can’t make any promises about a release date just yet, but I’m working on some music that feels like the best I’ve ever made so I can’t wait to share more with the world. One of my big goals is to go on a tour, either supporting a larger artist as an opening act or headlining my own shows down the line. For now, fans in Los Angeles can come see me live at The Mint LA on August 14th!
