The Mississippi native talks about her new single “Me and You”, her songs on Radio Disney, and the impact music has had on her life.
Caroline Romano cannot remember a time in her life without music.
Her passion has been infused into every memory, an intricate part of her everyday being.
“Music has always been a core part of my life,” Caroline says. “My parents say I was singing before I was talking, and I turned to guitar and songwriting when I was young because it was the only way I knew to express myself.”
She confesses that she had issues with bullying in the past and that there were moments in time when she didn’t have many friends. As a result, the singer says, “Music became my favorite company.”
In doing this, her passion thrived. For her 13th birthday, her parents took her to Nashville. “I got to play my songs at open mic nights,” she says of the trip. “I absolutely fell in love with the city and I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the industry.” To sum it up, Caroline can’t help but exclaim, “Music has truly changed my life!”
When it comes to creating her own music, Caroline looks towards famous artists that she admires for inspiration and studies what makes them stand out.
I’m able to open up more and dive into what I’m really feeling.
“Some of my biggest influences include Taylor Swift, Shawn Mendes, Avril Lavigne, 5 Seconds of Summer, Ed Sheeran, and Troy Sivan. I really admire these artists’ unique songwriting styles, as well as how they continue to develop new sounds and evolve as artists.” She goes on to say, “Pushing the limit is something I aspire to do in my career, and I think these artists are great examples of what that looks like.”
Listening to artists that cover a wide plane of genres means that the style of her own music falls somewhere in the middle, according to the singer. “Or that my sound varies from song to song,” she adds. In writing her own music, Caroline isn’t scared to take risks. “I definitely try to incorporate different elements into my songs to make sure that I’m constantly creating something new. Sometimes I’ll swing more pop, but other times I may want to write a song that goes a bit alternative.” Happily, she exclaims, “There are absolutely no limits when it comes to creating music, so I like to make as many sounds as possible!”
Writing these songs can come at any time or any place. “There’s no specific place I feel most comfortable writing. Inspiration hits at the most random moments, so I’ve learned to write as much as possible no matter where I am,” she explains. However, being alone helps her more than when she’s amongst a crowd. She says she writes best in that environment. “I’m able to open up more and dive into what I’m really feeling.”
Listeners get to know exactly what she’s feeling when they hear her songs. Most recently, Caroline released “Me and You”. Her fourth single, excluding her Christmas release, delivers a pop, dance vibe that will have fans nodding their heads and tapping their feet. The lyrics bring a smile to one’s face as they describe the feelings of falling in love or getting to know a crush.
“To put it simply, I’d have to describe ‘Me and You’ as a confession of your feelings to someone for the first time. It has a level of simplicity to it that really captures the genuine expression of just saying, ‘I really like this. I really love who I am with you.’” It’s easy to imagine a smile on Caroline’s face as she goes on, “It’s sweet, yet fun, and it hones-in on how it feels to fall in love for the first time.”
The inspiration behind the song was all of the small things that become so much better when you’re with the person you love, according to Caroline. “I wanted to capture all of the random thoughts and feelings that race through your mind.”
One line that captures this process well is when she sings, “I realize how much I don’t know / Like how you deal with heartbreak / And if you don’t like your first name. / I want you to tell me your secrets…”
I love sharing these bits and pieces of my life with others, in hopes that it makes at least one person feel less alone.
“It’s like seeing the world in color for the first time,” the singer continues. “The verses of ‘Me and You’ are almost a ramble of excitement, so I really just tried to write down all of the things that are special to me and fit them into the song.”
Her favorite line, however, is at the foundation of the song.
“My favorite line is the first one!” Caroline exclaims. “‘Can’t help but think it’s strange / it’s kind of cold here in L.A.’ I think that line is striking and simple. I really like how it sets up the tone of the song. It sparks a bit of magic right off the bat!”
Creating the footings of the song flowed through her almost effortlessly. “I’d have to say the easiest part was writing both of the verses,” she says of the process of making the song. “Those seemed to flow pretty quickly, and it didn’t take much time to figure out what I wanted to say.” On the other hand, the hardest part for Caroline was the “instrumental drop” in the chorus. “That took a lot of discussing with my producer and it took a while to figure out exactly what we wanted it to sound like,” the singer explains.
Laying so much of her soul bare for listeners to hear and judge her words thrills her, instead of the flurry of nerves that many other songwriters get.
“I’m definitely more excited for people to hear my lyrics. I love sharing these bits and pieces of my life with others, in hopes that it makes at least one person feel less alone,” she reveals. Caroline, much like she does in her music, is unafraid to show some of the most vulnerable parts of herself as she says, “Music has done that for me a million times over, so I hope the lyrics in my songs can provide a comfort for people in the same way.”
With her previous singles “Ready” and “Come with Me” making successful rounds — the former even making the Top 3 on Radio Disney’s Top 30 Chart — and a collaboration with pop sensation Jacob Whitesides for “Masterpiece”, Caroline is no stranger to budding success. Each release continues to climb and expand the reach of her music to more and more people.
For some artists, that means there’s a pressure to do even better than before. Sometimes it also means setting unrealistic expectations or goals with a large load of stress accompanying the release. But Caroline welcomes the call to raise to the occasion.
“I tend to view each new single release as a new challenge or a new obstacle to overcome.” She confesses, “I always hope that each single will do better than the last, but I’d say it’s more excitement [to release new music] than pressure!”
Not only did Caroline deliver a successful collaboration with Jacob Whitesides but she’s also opened for chart-toppers Daya and Shawn Mendes.
“All of those experiences were so amazing and each one taught me really valuable lessons early on in my career,” reveals the singer. “Everyone I’ve worked with has been incredibly kind and supportive. My appreciation for the artist grew even more after each experience.” Caroline finds it cool to see that these artists, with such success and recognition, are still just regular people that happened to make it big. “It gave me a lot of hope and motivation to see my dreams through in the same way they have!” she exclaims.
To make sure that she can achieve her dreams, Caroline will continue to grow and change her sound. In fact, her music has changed greatly since she first started professionally pursuing music.
I got to sit in the same spot that countless other artists I admire have been in over the years. It’s awesome that I get to be there now!
“I think the biggest difference between now and early on in my career is that I’m no longer afraid to experiment. I’m a lot more open to new ideas and concepts, and I really enjoy shaking up my sound,” she says. Reflecting back and comparing to today, she goes on to say, “My more recent music is also a lot more vulnerable, and I’ve really learned to open up a lot more in what I create.”
The growth and changes aren’t just limited to her music. Experiences and time have shaped her to be a different person now, no matter how big or little that difference is, to who she was when she was younger.
In a moment of thought, the singer decides on the advice she’d pass along to a younger Caroline.
“I would tell my younger self that the obstacles you’re going to face are not forever. When you’re young, every bump in the road seems like the end of the world.” Speaking with a knowledge beyond her years, she continues, “I’m still young, I’m only 17, but I’ve already learned that there’s light behind the end of every tunnel. It can be hard to push through when you’re not sure if anything good can come out of the situation.” She talks from experience, pulling a direct example from her music career. “This industry has shaken me more times than I can count but each time I’ve gotten back up.”
Caroline confesses, “I wish the younger me would’ve had the same outlook on challenges as I do now!”
However, life is a learning experience that will never end. The singer knows that firsthand.
“Over the past year, I’ve learned that I’m a lot stronger than I used to think I was. There have been a lot of ups and downs this year, but I’ve managed to stay strong through it all. Knowing what I do now, I feel like I can overcome anything the future has in store for me.”
The future has much promise for Caroline. And as her journey continues its rise, undoubtedly like her music will on the charts as well, she has many moments that will stick out to her through it all.
“My most memorable career moment thus far has definitely been my first red carpet awards show.” She gushes, “I walked the red carpet at the [Radio Disney Music Awards] last June and it’s a day I’ll never forget. It was a moment I’d dreamed of for as long as I can remember and being an artist at that event was truly a dream come true.”
In addition to that, Caroline is also cherishing memorable fan interactions as well, most occurring online. “I remember the first time someone made a Caroline Romano fan account. It’s crazy to think that someone takes time out of their day to post about me and my music!” she exclaims through her joy. “I’m so grateful for the fans who are always excited about every release, every performance, and even every Instagram post!”
As incredible as all these moments are, and their lifelong impact, the accomplishment of hers that she’s most proud of is her music being on the radio.
“One of the first goals I wrote down when I was little was to have a song on the radio, especially Radio Disney. That dream came true last March when my song ‘Ready’ aired on Radio Disney for the first time.” The moment is one that she’ll never forget. “I got to sit in the same spot that countless other artists I admire have been in over the years. It’s awesome that I get to be there now!”
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“Me and You” is available to stream now on iTunes, Amazon Music, Google Play, and Tidal!
For all things Caroline Romano, be sure to follow her on Spotify, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and subscribe to her YouTube channel here!
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