Nashville-based singer-songwriter Caroline Romano captures the highs and lows of young adulthood with her song Girl in China Shop which in her words is a confession about destroying everything she touches which I am sure a lot of can relate to. I had the opportunity to interview Caroline and I hope you learn something about this brilliant new voice. 

At what age did you write your first song? What was it about?

I wrote my first full song when I was thirteen a“Chase Your Dreams.” It was about me realizing that I wanted to pursue music falling in love with a future that was bigger than myself and taking that risk. It was definitely in thirteen-year-old girl terms, but the heart was there and I still treasure that song a lot. The gist of it was “chase your dreams because you just might catch one.”

What are your biggest influences? Do you listen to old stuff from, let’s say, the 80s, or do you prefer contemporary music?

It’s a mix of things! My parents listened to a lot of Shania Twain and Bryan Adams when I was growing up. I’m a big Queen and the Goo Goo Dolls fan, but I also listen to a lot of contemporary music. Noah Kahan, Taylor Swift, The 1975, Lorde, and Gang of Youths are my favorite contemporary inspirations.

If you could pick someone to write a song with, who would it be?

Noah Kahan. He’s my favourite lyricist probably of all time, and it’s a dream of mine to work with him in any capacity.

Do you have a songwriting ritual? If yes, what does it include?

Songwriting for me sort of looks different every time, which is one thing I love about it. It often starts with me writing a one-line lyric or general idea down in the notes app on my phone. Sometimes I take that line or idea into a scheduled session I have with a producer or co-writer, and other times I’ll finish it out by myself at home. There are other times when I sit down and need to get something out, so I’ll write an entire song to the guitar by myself, usually late at night, in 30 minutes or so.

Other times I’ll go into a session completely blind just to see what happens and what we can all come up with collaboratively. Sometimes it starts with a track, sometimes it’s a cool guitar or piano part, and sometimes I come in with the whole song already planned out in my head and we just build it out. It’s a little different every time for me.

What song made you fall in love with music and want to be an artist?

This is a great question, I think it was probably “Long Live” by Taylor Swift. I still cry every time I hear the bridge of that song. It’s incredible.

What is the story behind girl in a china shop? What made you write it? I love how raw and personal it is. I am sure a lot of people can relate to it.

Thank you! I wrote “girl in a china shop” a week or so after my twenty-second birthday. I was coming off a year filled with a lot of personal mistakes and self-inflicted pain, and I found myself repeating the same mistakes and falling for the same vices on my twenty-second birthday. I was frustrated with myself, as I felt like I was only perfecting my method of breaking my own heart and the relationships around me. Even with the best intentions, I’ve lately felt like everything I touch ends in disaster, and “girl in a china shop” is a confession of all the ways I do that.

You claim yourself to be the loudest introvert. How would you describe it, and how does it show in your music?

I am naturally a very shy and introverted person. The only time I ever really feel comfortable and like myself is when I’m doing music in any capacity. When I have something to say, I always want it to be impactful, and music has allowed me to do that uniquely. I’m quiet most of the time, but when I’m loud I make sure it’s explosive.

Would you say songwriting is your kind of therapy? I know from experience how cathartic writing can be :)

Absolutely! Songwriting genuinely keeps me sane. It’s one of the only ways I truly know how to communicate with myself and my mind. It helps me see situations from a different perspective and better understand myself and the world and people around me. It’s so necessary for me in every sense. Writing is another form of oxygen in my life.

Where do you draw inspiration for your songs? Do you, for example, read poetry or draw ideas from dreams?

I draw inspiration from many different places. I think life itself, as it happens, begs to be written about. I like to observe people and traffic. I read books and poetry and watch movies. I listen to other songs that talk to my friends and try to live enough life to write about it all.

Do you enjoy mixing up your music and experimenting with different genres?

Definitely. It’s always been very hard for me to commit to the idea of a genre. It’s something I’ve been told frequently that I should do to establish a brand for myself, but I love building the sound around what the song requires, not what I do. I have some of the most fun messing around with new structures, sounds and instruments.

What advice would you give someone who wants to make it in music in this world?

It’s frequently said, but I genuinely believe the thing someone needs most to make it in music, or anything really, is a true sense of belief in one’s self. You have to believe in the art you’re making, in the dream you’re chasing, and most importantly that you are capable of getting there. It’s that drive and that quiet sense of confidence that is going to take you far. It sounds somewhat cliche, but believing in yourself is the best advice I know to give. That and always being kind. Those are the most important things in my opinion.

Caroline has a new song coming on Friday, December the 8th called “Tell Him I Said Hi” which I am sure will be another amazing song. 

You can listen to “girl in a china shop” on all streaming platforms.

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Nicolle Knapova is a 30-year-old young adult writer and freelance blogger from the Czech Republic. She has a  master’s degree in Creative Writing and Publishing at Bournemouth University. She loves to write about music, books and tv shows. If she’s not writing her fan fiction, she’s writing her poetry and sharing them on her Instagram @elisecaverly