Out of all the things we cover on Celeb Secrets, our all-time favorite is discovering fresh talent and sharing it with our readers. Today’s newcomer always has the chance to become tomorrow’s star, and singer/songwriter Caye is 100% in the fast lane to musical stardom for 2018.
For those of you who haven’t heard of him, Caye is a Boston-bred, LA-based multi-instrumentalist, rapper, singer-songwriter and producer that combines a multitude of genres in his music. From jazz to hip-hop and everything in between, Caye truly has a musical gift that you don’t seem to find in rising musicians today.
Back in March, we saw Caye live for the first time at Marathon Music Works in Nashville, Tennessee. Opening for SOMO’s spring run, Caye came out on stage with so much energy. Getting the audience involved from the second he walked onstage, he showed off his mega talent by playing multiple instruments and performing new songs off his debut album Pink Tree Paradise. We — and the rest of the crowd — were completely floored by his performance and kept contemplating as to why he wasn’t headlining the show himself!
In between the show, Celeb Secrets caught up with Caye to learn more about his musical journey and his big debut with Pink Tree Paradise. Take a read at the full Q&A below and make sure to pick up his album on Friday, June 1st at all digital music retailers.
Celeb Secrets: Can you tell us about your musical journey and what it’s been like up to this point?
Caye: “I started playing piano when I was like three or four, classical which I played until I was about ten. And then I was like I’m going to switch to the drum set because I was like, ‘yo, I’m done with classical.’ And I played like rock funk, jazz for years. And then I switched to the steel drums when I heard it. I think I was fourteen and I’ve been playing about six years now and I started producing once I’ve found the steel drums. I got on garage band, and then quickly, like two months later Logic Pro. And then I picked the piano up about three years ago again. I started rapping and singing about three or four years ago.”
Celeb Secrets: That is pretty recent! Did you take vocal lessons to get to this point?
Caye: “I was always shy growing up, so like I’ve never sang for people. I sang to myself like in the car and in front of my sister and my mom, but never anyone else. I guess I just listened to a lot of music and I think it was John Mayer who I would sing over in the car, trying to sound like and I’d like that. So that’s really I guess who influenced me to start singing. I went through a big Eminem phase in middle school, so like the rapping stuff. So I started writing lyrics. I actually started because I got a microphone for other singers. I had previously written songs because I produced and write the songs for people and I got the mic and I was like I should probably just try it. And then I like put it away like hid it in my computer, like no is going to want to listen to this. And my cousin, who was a DJ at the time found it, and it was like, “Yo, you need to put this out.” He helped me finish the song and share it and people started listening. So I just kept doing it.”
Celeb Secrets: What was the best way to put it out? Did you use Soundcloud or just give it to your friends?
Caye: “I started on Soundcloud. I think the first one got like 10,000 in a week or something like way better than anything else. So I was like this, this might be the move.”
Celeb Secrets: So your single, “Easy” is out with Wiz Khalifa. How are you feeling about that?
Caye: “I don’t even know. I’m like very excited. It’s going to be amazing, hopefully and that song, I feel like is the most probably the most accomplished song in my life.”
Do you want to tell us the underlying meaning behind it?
Caye: “So I was going to visit this girl that I’m like in love with, in Toronto, and actually right before the plane, my producer and I, we made the beat like the night before and I wrote the hook and I just like left. He sent me the beat right before I got on the plane and I just started writing about her. And then like had a great time then I came back, went over to the studio, played it for Wiz, and he was like, “Yo, like let me help on the second verse.” And we were like, definitely do that. And then it just happened.”
Celeb Secrets: So how do you know Wiz?
Caye: “My manager found him, like way back in the day, and got him signed to a record label and so he’s like very chill with Wiz. So about a year ago he just took us over, like Wiz hit him up and he’s like, “Yo, what’s up?” and he’s like, “Yo, I got this new artist I want to introduce you to.” So that’s how we met, and then six months later we had this song and I played it for him.”
Celeb Secrets: And so what else do you have planned for 2018?
Caye: “The album is coming out June 1st, and then we’ll see, but some tours.”
Celeb Secrets: What can you tell us about the album?
Caye: “It’s my debut album with my Producer. We’ve been wanting to do music full time forever, but we had to juggle school and sports and what not. And finally he took a leave of absence from school and made this album. It’s been our professional career for the last almost a year or so now. So it’s fun to be like, that’s what it’s about for me, just like being freed and making music.”
Celeb Secrets: Since we are Celeb Secrets, what is a secret no one knows about you?
Caye: “When I was like really young, like six or seven years old, we went to the beach and it was like a storm in Mexico. I was out with my dad, my cousin, my brother, and maybe my uncle.. I had this, Pokemon hat and I was like super, super, into Pokemon at the time, and I went to close the water and got sucked into the ocean and was pretty scary. My cousin came and grabbed me but my Pokemon hat flew away, that was pretty sad. My brother was really mad too because there were two life guards on duty. He was like seven years old and he was like, “you’re not doing your job.”
