Meet Casey McQuillen

We were lucky to catch up with Casey McQuillen recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Casey, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
Ironically, I remind myself that I am not that important. That my job doesn’t influence whether people live or die, and mostly, the world will be just fine regardless of how my performance, or songwriting session, or song release goes. I’m just a person with a passion, and I am lucky enough to be able to spend my time and energy sharing that passion with the world. This industry can be so tied up in ego, but I feel the best when I try to untangle my ego from my project and realize that while it’s important to me, the world will go on regardless.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
In the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to perform for hundreds of thousands of fans across the U.S. & Europe opening for artists including James Morrison, Beverley Knight, Marti Pellow, & Eric Hutchinson. I’ve also appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show and was a finalist on American Idol. My debut album Skinny, which includes the my song ‘In & Out’, a duet with Jon McLaughlin, found its way into several major playlists, being spotlighted by the likes of Apple Music & Amazon Music, as well featured on MTV & CMT, and Sirius XM ‘The Pulse’. Additionally, I’ve had the opportunity to perform my anti-bullying concert series, The ‘You Matter’ Tour, at over one hundred middle and high schools for over 40,000 students.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
First, I think being humble is incredibly important in this industry. Sometimes you play to huge rooms with thousands of people, and two weeks later you’ll be playing to a nearly empty bar; the trick is to not let the environment dictate how seriously you take your work, but treat both shows as equally as important.

Second, I think that authenticity needs to be the basis of art. Audiences are smart and can feel when you are not be genuine with them or with yourself. Challenging myself to be honest in my art and in my performance has been the key to me connecting with new fans.

Third, have fun! Performances are at their heart entertainment, and as much as it’s the performers’ names in lights, the show is actually about the audience. I work every show to earn the audiences attention and respect. Attention is the most valuable commodity we all have in this ecosystem, and I am honored every time audiences share their time with me.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
From my earliest memories, my parents have taught me to value the effort I put in, not the outcome. In an industry that breaks artists down to metrics and algorithms, it has been so important to have a deep sense of value in my work that comes from ME and my effort, not from a streaming number or follower counts.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Image credit in jpg titles

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
How did you find your purpose?

Core to our mission is helping our audience and community reach their full potential and

Confidence
Breaking Barriers: Succeeding Even When Representation is Lacking

What do you do when no one else in the company or the meeting looks

Leadership Development
Mastering Communication: Stories & Lessons

“Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.”