Tell the audience who you are and what you do:

I like to say that I am a “therapist by day, a singer/songwriter by night.” I work as a mental health counselor at a private practice where I specialize in treating trauma and I just recently started writing and recording music again after an 11-year hiatus. In my free time, I like to travel and spend time outdoors with my husband of 9 years. We live in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana with our two dogs.

What’s your background story?

I grew up in a small, rural town in Michigan. I started singing at a young age and got my first guitar when I was 10. I started writing my music at 13 and recorded my first self-written album at

15. In high school, I was active in choir and theater. I had dreams of pursuing music in college but was told to choose a more “practical” career, so I switched my major to Human Services. After graduating with my bachelor’s degree, I got married, lived abroad, moved back, got a job, bought a house, and went to grad school. It wasn’t until the end of 2022 when a friend invited me to a poetry reading that I got inspired to start writing again. Within a month, I had six songs I wanted to record and reached out to Silverbirch. Now here we are!

What inspired you to pursue music?

I grew up listening to a lot of really good music. My dad grew up in the 70s and is a singer himself, so he shared his love of music with me. Madonna and Amy Grant were probably my first inspirations. As I got older, I developed a love for writing. I enjoyed writing short stories, novels, and poetry. When I realized I could combine my love of music with my love of writing, my future was sealed.

What has been the biggest challenge, and on the flip side, the biggest rewards of being a music artist?

The biggest reward has been having an outlet for my creativity, which I, unfortunately, denied for a long time. As a therapist, I encourage my clients to pursue holistic wellness (mind, body, spirit, etc.) but I realized I hadn’t been taking my advice and had been neglecting a huge part of myself. The biggest challenge, this time around, has been adjusting to how the Internet and

social media have changed things. The last time I made music, everything was word-of-mouth. There was no streaming and very little digital distribution. I’m still learning how to navigate that world. Marketing yourself is hard!

What can listeners expect from your first major release, both musically and thematically?

“Elements” is a concept album; water, earth, fire, and air are seen throughout the EP in the lyrics and the production. I am intrigued by the idea that we, as humans, are multi-dimensional and contain many elements, just like nature. “Elements” was originally going to be a traditional folk album, but once I met DJ/Producer Bradford Smith, we decided to join forces and ended up creating a really neat “folktronica” sound. Listeners can expect a mix of acoustic and EDM sounds, deep lyrics, and a lot of vocal harmonies (a callback to my choir days.) There are also a lot of subtle mental health themes seen throughout such as connecting with your younger self, masking your emotions, growing up and leaving your childhood behind, leaving an oppressive situation, learning to love and accept yourself, finding your “tribe,” and connecting with nature.

How was your experience working with Silverbirch Studios different from previous studios you’ve worked in?

Silverbirch is very focused on emotional health, which is what made them the perfect studio for me to work with. I’ve never worked with a studio that prioritized that before, and as a therapist, I valued that. Everyone involved, especially owner Radiance Tyler, empowered me to listen to my intuition and consider how the music would be received emotionally and spiritually by the listeners.

What do you hope to achieve with “Elements EP,” and how does it represent a milestone in your artistic journey?

I hope that “Elements” will put me “on the map” as an independent artist and allow me to share my music with people who will enjoy it. I want to use my music as a vehicle for mental health education. Not everyone can afford to go to therapy, but everyone can listen to music (something Radiance told me.)

Are there any specific tracks or moments on the EP that hold significant meaning to you? If so, could you share the stories behind them?

“Grasshopper Hill” is about my childhood home. My dad sings harmony on the track; there were a lot of tears the day we recorded it in the studio. I wrote the song about how I felt growing up

there and the joy it brings me now to see my nieces and nephews creating similar memories there.

None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person you are grateful to who helped get you where you are? What lesson did you learn from them?

My friend Bridgette is also a therapist and a talented poet. She recently released a book of original poetry which is what inspired me to start writing again. She taught me that my art deserves to be shared and that living your truth will always be more important than what others think of you.

How do you envision your music and artistry evolving in the future, and what can we expect from you in the coming years?

The older I get, the more I get to know myself and who I am as a person/soul. I hope that, as I evolve, my music does too. I want to write honest, relatable music about mental health, personal growth, spirituality, etc. I have not been able to stop writing since I started and have a lot more songs I hope to share someday soon!

What is the best way for someone to reach you if they are interested in working with you?

They can visit my website, rachelcashmanmusic.com, and reach out via the “Contact” page.