Rising Music Star CAROLINE: “You can save a life by reaching out to someone; You never know what other people are dealing with”
Being kind, you never know what other people are dealing with, you can save a life by reaching out to someone and start beautiful friendships.
As a part of my series about pop culture’s rising stars, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing CAROLINE. CAROLINE is a breath of fresh air. Her soaring vocals, relatable songwriting, and inspiring image are what today’s teens need. CAROLINE is a teen pop singer based in Los Angeles with Southern roots in North Carolina. She sends a message of hope and inclusivity with her original music. Listening to CAROLINE or engaging with her on social media will brighten your day, just like talking to your best friend. She currently has over 300k followers on social media and 50 million views. She started performing at 3, writing lyrics at 8, and songwriting at 12. CAROLINE is fascinated by all types of music- from the fast cadences of hip-hop, the emotion of rock-n-roll, the ability of a simple pop song to make you smile, the drama of Broadway show tunes, and the storytelling elements of country music. She recently released a new dance-inspired single called “I Know Better.” It’s an empowering song that acquired over 1 million streams in less than a month and has already been recognized by multiple media outlets, 20 radio stations and more. CAROLINE hopes to help other young girls struggling like she has and make sure that they know they are not alone. Being a teenager these days is challenging- teenagers are juggling social pressures, demanding respect and a voice, and trying to find and express their authentic selves.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
Thank you having me! I grew up in California & North Carolina. I was always very interested in athletics and arts, they were and still our great escapes for me and are my passions.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
I always wanted to be a pop singer and the show”Glee” really inspired me to want to sing, dance, and act!!
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
The most interesting story is probably when I released my new song “I Know Better.” I had released songs before but this was the first song that was on Spotify, iTunes, Youtube etc. Releasing the song was crazy, it was hard to go to sleep that night because there was an instant reaction. When you work on a song so long and know it like the back of your hand, it’s a surreal experience to watch people hear it for the first time. I’m just so thankful people are listening!!
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
When I first started acting, I would be so nervous for auditions, I’d run my lines over and over and over again because I didn’t want to forget them. I’ve learned a little bit of nerves is natural but don’t be afraid of casting directors, they want you to be good because they want to find the perfect actor for their role.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I’m working on new music which I’m so passionate about, the “I Know Better” video series where I’m releasing 15 different variations of videos for my new song “I Know Better.” I am also launching the new CAROLINE Collection video series where I go behind the scenes of all of my products in my fashion accessory line. I just released three new collections within the CAROLINE collection but I am working on a new collection which is coming out in early 2020.
We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
It’s so important because young children need to be able to see people on television who look like them so they know they can be on television.
People want to relate to TV/Movies so reality should be represented which includes diversity.
Through diversity in film and television we can learn about different cultures which is so important and interesting.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
- It’s going to be difficult but keep going. It’s a tough business so there is a lot of frustrating moments but luckily my passion outweighs the negative aspects of the industry.
- What makes you different is what will make you stand out in a good way. I noticed in the industry you can get criticized for not being “Hollywood typical” but that’s what makes you special and unique.
- Be as proactive as possible. It’s tempting to want to wait by the phone or let a manager/agent do all the work but nobody is going to want you to be successful as much as you so.
- Be Patient. Overnight sensations don’t really happen, there is a lot of behind the scenes work. I’ve be working for 5 years now and it takes a while to make things happen.
- Write all the time. You can never write too many songs. In the beginning I used to write about once a month, but now I at least come up with a couple ideas everyday. It can be hard to find time but it’s so worth it.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Remember your passion and why you love what you do, try to never lose the fire. Think of how excited you would have been if you told younger you what you are doing today, so don’t take any opportunity big or small for granted.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Being kind, you never know what other people are dealing with, you can save a live by reaching out to someone and start beautiful friendships.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I’m grateful for my mom because I wouldn’t be able to do any of my career stuff without her.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
Never judge other people. It’s so easy to go down a spiral of judgement but at the end of the day, everyone is just trying their best, so don’t be mean. I’ve been on the receiving end of judgement and it’s not a fun feeling so I really don’t want somebody else to feel that way.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Madonna, I think she is the queen of pop and so smart.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Instagram: @carolines_music
This was very meaningful, thank you so much!
Rising Music Star CAROLINE: “You can save a life by reaching out to someone; You never know what… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.