Calvyn Cass’ new project “Every Kind Chapter One: Reigning Stars” imparts a crystal-clear stance on love, and the innumerable stages it transforms into for an individual. The project boasts of themes in love that directly mimics falling in love in the real world. The highest peak in the beginning, highs and lows in the middle, and the desolating ends. In his words, “It’s just not always that simple.”
Cass first burst onto the scene back in 2020 with his debut single “ME, Myself, and I” and has continued to build a strong following in the time since. In just three years, his songs have been streamed over 1 million times on Spotify, and he’s racked up a whopping 500,000 views on Youtube. Now, he’s channeling that momentum into an ambitious two-part album that boasts production from the likes of multi-platinum producers Adam H. (Ray J, Ne-Yo, Elise Estrada, Def Leppard, and Loverboy) and Dave Genn (54/40 and Matthew Good Band).
“Tethered to You,” the 3rd single following “Hollywood Calls,” and “Ménage à Trois”, is an entrancing track that illuminates the feeling of falling in love. Cass opens his heart out about the first time he fell in love, and how intoxicating it was for him at the time. An all-consuming high that feels good on one hand, and confusing on the other.
“The experience of being in love is kind of like an out of this world experience,” he says. “The irony is, it’s probably the best thing about being in this world.”
Tunefully, “Every Kind Chapter One: Reigning Stars” offers an eliciting mixture of funk tones, necessary adlibs in some tracks, the melancholy textures fused into the vulnerable songs– specially “Tethered to You” and “Passion to Pain.” Whereby Calvyn cleverly transports the listener to a gloomy schism about choosing between two outcomes that depend on two different decisions. Furthermore, the use of melancholic chords compels the listener to empathize with the protagonist of these storylines.
Calvyn Cass’ unending devotion to his husband is reflected well throughout this project in variety of ways. And to think he intentionally removed gender for this project, makes this body of art much more formidable. He provides this safe haven where all individuals can relate to and find some kind of solace through music.
“We have both made mistakes along the way and we almost didn’t make it through some of those moments,” he adds, “At the end of the day we always chose to stick it out.” He further expands, “It doesn’t make it hurt less and it’s really reshaped my view of love and how I understand it.”
Cass invited quite a few creative contributors to this new project like mega-producer Adam H., dynamo Taylor Allum on “Passion to Pain,” best friend and fellow songwriter Jess Edo, and some of Cass’ exemplary cinematographer friends for the music videos. For each music video concept, Cass ascertained his relationship is represented well, regardless of what the song is about.
“It’s more of a performance video,” he shares about ‘Tethered to You’ music video, “but it is representative to me of my love for my music and my artistry.”
Following his official debut in the music scene 4 years ago, Calvyn has blossomed into an artist blazing his own trail, and “leaning into the fun” as he puts it. In the same way as artists before him who learnt to embrace their gender fluidity, Cass followed suit. By shadowing musical inspirations he loves – Tina Turner, Celine Dion, Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams to name a few, and honing his 90-style inspired writing techniques.
This 5-track project “Every Kind Chapter One: Reigning Stars” has something for everyone, especially those constantly excluded from relating to lyrics that target a specific gender group.
