Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter Ceara Cavalieri talks about finding one’s self-worth in her fourth single “I Wish.” The 24-year-old graduated from UCLA with a degree in psychology and is currently pursuing music full time. 

The artist had a passion for music ever since she was three and claimed that she was always singing and had dreams of being an artist. 

“I would sing and dance around my house as a little girl, listening to my favorite artists, and had dreams of doing the same and being on stage,” she said. “In middle school, I realized that some of my favorite artists didn’t write their songs, and that’s when I decided to get into songwriting.”

Cavalieri’s music lies within the pop genre, but she has also been working on some EDM music that she plans to release soon. She claims to love all genres of music and would dive into others depending on what she’s feeling at the moment, where she is gaining inspiration from and whom she is collaborating with. 

“My biggest influences in music at the moment are Taylor Swift, Gwen Stefani, Kehlani and Halsey,” she said. “When I began creating my own music, I began to feel a deeper connection to music on a different level and really knew it was the ultimate passion.” 

(Photo: Ceara Cavalieri)

Cavalieri has different playlists for different moods or vibes she is feeling. Lately, she has been listening and singing along to a lot of EDM and future bass music, such as Cheat Codes or Grey, when she’s in the shower.

When she begins writing her music, sometimes a song will stem from a melody that pops into her head randomly. Other times, she will experience something that inspires her or makes her feel a certain way. The lyrics will just start pouring out. 

“When something like this happens, I will record or write it in my notes and circle back around to it later when I am writing. I have noticed that I feel the most creative and in tune with my thoughts when I am by myself in my room at nighttime.”

The idea for her single “I Wish” started when she found out that the person she was with before had been cheating on her. After she broke the relationship, he would gaslight her into thinking that it was all in her head.

“I found myself constantly going back to this person and feeling I wasn’t enough. I was crying in my bedroom when the lyrics started pouring out about all the things I wished were different and how this person made me feel as the relationship grew deeper,” Cavalieri said. 

The artist brought her idea into the studio and pieced everything together with her collaborators Jordyn Kane and Aaron Blackmar. Whenever she works with Kane and Blackmar, she feels like they help her bring her vision to light.

“Kane is such an amazing producer, and once he added the final touches to bring the overall production of the song together, I felt so happy and excited to share it with others,” she said. “I feel like the lyrics are so vulnerable, and you can feel that in the emotion of the song as a whole.”

The singer said that the song connects with the current generation because dealing with a toxic relationship is a challenging situation to get out of. “If someone has dealt with a similar situation, then I hope it helps them to know that they aren’t alone. It is not their fault, and their feelings are totally valid,” Cavalieri said.

It is clear that the singer wants her fans to realize their self-worth. She mentioned that it is hard to get out of toxic relationships, especially when you are in love or think you are in love. 

“The moment that you get out of a situation like that and realize your worth, you come out so much stronger,” she said.

Cavalieri finished with great advice for other aspiring singers: “Write as much music as you can, and to try to build your social network in the music industry. There are so many producers looking for singers/songwriters to work with.”

Contact Ron Rocky Coloma at rcoloma ‘at’ stanford.edu.