6 minute read
CARA | BusinessWoman | CPMagazine
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• What does being an entrepreneur in the music industry mean to you? For me I work constantly on building my brand and business so when I get a chance to write and make music at home or go to the studio, it’s such a personal outlet for me and needed. It relieves a ton of stress!
• What was your motivation to become a singer and songwriter? Self expression, creating art, storytelling & magic!
•What is your daily function of your work towards music? When I’m working on a specific song or preparing to record it’s much different and specific, but for my daily routine I keep a special notes section in my phone just for writing music on the daily or recording melodies on the go. My lyrics consist of my daily activities and experiences so it’s extremely organic for me. I’m also incorporating vocal warm-ups back into my daily routine because soon I begin recording my album, Cara Kush Kronicles. • What have been the biggest difficulties you encountered in this industry? Well, I’m in 2 separate industries at one time, which are music and cannabis. I’d say being a woman in both fields is not easy. I’d say the cannabis industry is even more open to women than women in business in the music industry, but the cannabis industry is still tough. That’s just my personal perspective. Anybody who thinks plants grow themselves in a high grade manner or thinks running a corporation is easy, is sorely mistaken. Managing business overhead can be the most stressful of it all and will try to take away from the art you want to create. You have to find a way to mentally separate the two and let the art speak for itself in those moments, without thinking of it as a business, even though everything is.
• There will be those who think you are very lucky, so tell us also about the difficult times you have lived until you got here. Oh wow where do I begin? I think I’d need to write a book for that, lol! The most vanilla thing I will say, is that when I moved to New York City alone by bus, at age 18 the day after I turned 18 and graduated High School, I had no money and I was eating a slice of pizza in Astoria, Queens, NY daily to survive. It was cheap so that was the only food I had and a quick fix due to it being filling. I got 2 jobs immediately to fix the problem and rented a room in Astoria, Queens for $500 a month. A year later, I moved into an apartment in Manhattan in midtown to work in a bank, although I was still hustling! Those were not my most difficult struggles up until now, but it certainly was a time of struggle, faith and determination.
• You have opened many doors with your music, but have others been closed to you? Absolutely! I almost had my own reality show. It was so close to being secured over at WE and then it didn’t make the cut due to limited room in their programming. That was years ago. We may do an educational docuseries at my company HQ for CARA KUSH, coming up. I have interest!
• How do you like to inspire people, make them passionate about your music? Do you have a message in your songs? Are you confident with your message? Tell us one song that you're most passionate about the message. My new music is still not out so I’d say, my last single FIGHT which went to Top-40 radio was inspiring for me and others because it’s all about fighting for what you want and deserve in life, fighting for your dreams and what you believe in, not settling for less, freedom, happiness and above all, having fun while at it! FIGHT was a remake of the Beastie Boys’ “Fight For Your Right to Party”, rewritten from my perspective. I had an official sample approval from Rick Rubin, The Beastie Boys and Sony for FIGHT, released under my full name, Cara Quici. I now go by CARA.
• What is the most you’ve sacrificed to fulfill your dreams and beliefs? Family, friends and travel to spend years building my business and brand.
• You never thought about abandoning it? I’d jump off a roof before abandoning anything I love.
• A question: what did you want to be “when you grow up”? An actress, making music or a Doctor or attorney • Do you think there is an objective formula that leads a person to achieve success in the music industry? Yes, and that formula is planning an actual business strategy and legit marketing campaign behind your music release. Also, when you create your music, make it about the music first, no media. I’ve learned from past team members that I don’t like to be pushed to do stunts merely for PR. Let the music and message speak for itself and all else will follow! Music leads the way!!
• How far would you be willing to go to achieve your professional music goals? Well, right now I’m about to throw some joints of CARA KUSH out to a crowd while performing my music. So how far would you say? I want people in HIGH vibrations, pun intended!
• How do you define your style, who are you inspired by? I love either High Fashion, street wear or yoga and workout wear. Those are my top 3 styles. Thank goodness I had many years in New York and later got schooled by Anna Rothschild on how to dress. Now I add my own style with the same New York principles of fashion, no matter where I am.
• To almost finish the interview, being so young, what goals would you like to achieve? I have a plan to change and update the world of medicine, as well as continue to create great music and put it out on a large scale, as my outlet of self expression beyond my work. I want people to hear what the cannabis has to say, through my music.
• What advice would you give to people just starting out in the music industry. Never give up! Focus on your music first and foremost. Once you have the material, create a legit business and marketing plan surrounding your message and goals. Music is still a business and if you are in an industry you have to learn it!
Please let our readers know where they can follow you. @theofficialcara http://www.officialcara.com ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: (To those who have supported you for years) My dear friend Nick Hrisomalos, @darwinworldmedia @wendystarland CONTACT: @vickypresspr CREDITS: Photographer @megbatphoto Makeup & Hair @makeupbynikkilarose
