Taylor Castro has been writing and singing as long as she can remember.
Interview conducted on September 10, 2020
By Dan Locke
Taylor Castro’s new single + video is called “Be Ok”, and it’s a comforting, acoustic song about embracing change and uncertainty, something we can all relate to right now. Her previous single, “Abyss”, features her labelmate Carson Rowland and has accumulated nearly 1 million views on YouTube in 3 months! These singles are leading up to her full-length album Girl, Afraid due out in early 2021. While in quarantine over the summer, Taylor released a series of Live Nation: Virtual World Tour performance videos to give you a sense of her powerful live-singing ability. Taylor is also an outspoken mental health advocate for people suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which she references in her wildly successful “Girl, Afraid” music film.
Your mother is an actress and your father is a producer? What was your upbringing?
From an early age, I started showing signs of what I loved to do. I sung around the house, I read in the garden, and I was a little drama queen. My mom had a past in musical performance and she immediately placed me in drama camp. When she decided to get back into acting, my father supported her and got into producing along with all the other things he already does. When she began producing films, my mom knew that it was for me to ultimately have a handle in film as well. I got my first role in her first film when I was twelve-years-old. I loved it so much. From then on, I continued balancing regular school with acting and music.
How did your screenwriting come about?
Being a lover of both literature and film, screenwriting was something I always knew I wanted to do. However, it took a lot of time and practice to reach a point where I felt like I was really getting the hang of it. I have a project I wrote in the works now and I’m so incredibly excited to film it and see the words I wrote come to life.
How did you discover music?
Music was always just a part of my life. I loved rock and roll a lot when I was kid and I grew up in the perfect era for that. My mom was also in two girl bands growing up, so maybe it’s in my DNA.
How did you start to write music?
Early on, about three-years-old or so, I began changing the lyrics of songs as comedic performances for my family. I was (am) pretty dramatic though, so the songwriting quickly evolved into serious business. Thankfully, it’s getting better over time.
What was your first performance at like?
My first performance infant of an audience was when I was eight-years-old. I was not the least bit shy. I played Beacky in The Ugly Duckling Jr. She was sassy and fun and I could have stayed up there the whole show if they let me. The best part, however, was after the show when I felt the most loved I’d ever felt in my life.
What makes a good songwriter?
What makes a good songwriter, in my opinion, is attention to detail. The formulation of words is a beautiful type of tedious and it takes care to find the right fit to represent your story. I’d love to say honesty is what you need, but it’s not. You need a respect for words. You need attention to detail.
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it? What is your fan base?
I’d love to say my first song was Be Strong, the single that released with the Lifetime Film “Boyfriend Killer.” However, my fist single was technically this awful song I made in fifth grade called “Show the World.” I got a beat off the internet and improvised they lyrics on garage band. I made the cover art and figured out how to release it on iTunes all by myself. There was no fanbase. In fact, I was heavily made fun of for the following few years by my classmates who somehow found it.
Tell me about the making of the music video “Abyss”?
The Abyss music video was something I was really passionate about. After not loving the original treatment, I made my own. It took a lot of back and forth to figure out how it was going to work, but we eventually got to where we ended up. The song alludes to a lot of Greek and Roman mythology, so I was inspired by the play Metamorphoses by Mary Zimmerman, inspired by Ovid’s epic poem by the same name. The story really reflects the real-life situation and I honestly love the video, especially the bridge section.
Your new single “Be Ok” was released last week. Tell me about it?
Be Ok is about our relationship with the past and how it influences our future. I wrote it when I was feeling very anxious in the hopes that it can help other the way it helped me once it got out on the page and in the air.
How is your new album coming?
It’s coming along! My sophomore album, Girl, Afraid, will be a two-part story that is both a connection to my personal life and a plot of its own. It’s set to release in the early half of 2021.
How do you stay healthy while performing?
A lot of staying healthy while performing comes from practicing healthy habits off-stage. It’s important to eat healthy food, drink a lot of water, and exercise regularly. The more I do these things, the more energy I have to perform.
What are your feelings about streaming music?
I think music streaming is a great was to share and consume music. I love making playlists too. I think streaming is the way music should be: at the touch of your finger like a call to a friend.
Digital vs. vinyl?
I like vinyl, of course. It’s very cool to shop like that for your music. Nonetheless, I’d probably hate it if digital wasn’t available to me. I’d say digital. In person is pretty great too though, of course.
Do you feel that the Me-Too Movement has helped the female performer?
I think the Me-Too Movement has helped many women, and even men, in many industries, especially film. When these injustices are brought to life and become socially unacceptable, they’re less likely to happen. With the behavior that made the Me-Too movement necessary, it’s important that calling out the injustices was loud enough to be heard by everyone everywhere in order for it to help stop said injustices from occurring.
What are your feelings about the social uprising going on in the United States?
It’s difficult for a lot of privileged, not-yet-educated people to understand where these uprisings come from. The thing is, Black lives have always mattered and they’ve been treated like they don’t for far too long. There comes a point when people lose their patience. I support the fight for racial equality and I’ve been working to understand my own privilege from reliable resources. I want to be able to use my platform to speak on these sorts of issues. I believe that it’s absolutely necessary to create positive change if you can wherever you see it’s needed.
What is the mental health situation of the United State? How can the public help the doctors and nurses on the front line?
Mental health has always been a major issue. 2020, however, has been especially difficult for many people. September is suicide awareness month and I encourage everyone to reach out to their loved ones and the ones who love them. It’s impossible for us to know how much the people in our lives are struggling, especially if we don’t ask, lend a hand, or express our love for them. The doctors and nurses on the front lines of the pandemic have been putting themselves in an at-risk situation all year long for the betterment of our community. There’re many steps we can take to help them including: taking the proper precautions in our own life to slow the spread, offering to help nurses take care of their children, donating masks or other essential products, and volunteering. Don’t forget that simply saying “thank you” goes a long way.
How was your art school last term? Are you ready to go back in the fall?
Art school is great! It’s amazing and such a privilege getting to learn about the things you love. Virtual classes begin next week and I’m so excited to learn more about film, screenwriting, and English. I actually have some pre-class assignments I need to get to work on after this.
Do you think kids should go back to school his fall?
Personally, I believe virtual classes are a smarter, safer route for everyone. I’m especially happy to attend a school that shares that opinion and has the ability to support it. However, I’m very grateful for the teachers and school workers making it as safe as possible for kids to return to school. I can only imagine that it’ll be strange and a bit scary for them so all the effort those amazing people are making to combat that is very honorable indeed.
What is the most important thing they taught you in school last year?
I learned how to breakdown a script. Every filmmaker should know how to breakdown a script.
What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?
I watched the music video for Mr. Brightside for the first time this morning during breakfast. It made me think about what it means to be cool for some reason. I’ve decided that the coolest type of cool is not caring if people know you care. That’s how I aspire to be: the coolest type of cool.
How do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
I think that, at the end of the day, the pandemic is going to have a positive impact on the music industry. People have gotten very innovative when it comes to what’s possible through the comfort of our own homes. I hope these innovations will be utilized even once they’re not necessary.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
I’ve been reading a lot. I’ve read ten books so far this year, but the goal is twenty. I also have a lot of fun cooking and doing home workouts. It’s great making a fancy dinner in your own home. There’s so much to watch too. I love keeping up with a lot of youtubers and rewatching my favorite childhood films.
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
I was a little slow on my reading these past two years or so. It’s been great to rekindle with that passion and have time for it. Gardening is also something I’ve tried to spark up again.
95% of people said that they have changed the way they watch television. Which is your favorite streaming channel?
I watch things from everywhere. I’d have to say my favorite streaming channel is Disney+ just because I’m the biggest Disney dork I know.
Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. What are you planning to do?
Earlier in the year, I had the amazing opportunity to do a virtual world tour with Live Nation. I hope to do something else along those lines soon.
Live Nations just started Live Nation from Home? Which are concerts from artist homes. An all-new virtual music hub keeping fans connected to their favorite artists featuring daily live streams, performances, new music, and more. Do you think it will be possible to make a living doing concerts this way?
I think it’s definitely possible! People need virtual concerts now. If it’s possible to make a living off of Youtube covers, I definitely think it’s possible to make a living off of Youtube concerts.
For smaller bands who do not play large crowds, this is not really an issue. How do you see bands going back to smaller venues and doing things like play for the door, with no guarantees?
I think that it’s cool as long as the proper safety precautions are taken. The problem really is that people often become careless or get overly excited. It’s extremely important that the events refrain from allowing that.
In addition, at the present time for a band to go on tour from one state to another, they may need to self-quarantine for 14 days. How is that going to work?
I’m not sure how it’s going to work. It seems very inconvenient. I assume someone would need to be responsible of the band, crew, and audience safety.
With Social Distance being the norm. Do you feel that it maybe the end of the music fest for the next couple of years?
I can’t possibly know how long it will last, but I hope it won’t be for years. I believe in the innovative spirit of mankind. It will be long before music festivals as we know them are the norm, but that does not mean it will be long before music festivals are alive again.
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
I think that would be so cool! It’s amazing that we’re not in a position to consider these possibilities.
How do you see yourself in the next five years?
I hope to be further along towards achieving the goals I’ve been working towards, and to have figured out some of my current confusions. I also hope to be less fearful.
Anything you would like to say in closing?
Thank you so much for the interview and allowing me to speak!
