Even by today’s relatively eclectic standards, Calvyn Cass is a striking personality. In an era of increasing inclusivity, it seems we are playing catch up to the perdurable originality of Calvyn Cass. Blending surrealistic beauty and kinetic masculinity, Cass is a 21st century bastion of fashion. He has created his art in his own image, and that image has shown the propensity to capture even the most dormant of imaginations. To experience Calvyn Cass, for the first time, is as memorable as it is awe inducing.
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Calvyn’s upcoming single, “Are You Out There,” is yet another stylistic and focused effort by the mercurial artist. Pulling from an array of international influences and styles, “Are You Out There” is a tune that is instantly, move inducing, and engaging. Calvyn Cass is gradually developing a signature sound, that is expressive and diverse. The air of mystery that naturally hovers above and around him, is allowed to show a bit of a playful side on “Are You Out There.” It’s almost as if we’re getting carefully timed glimpses into the parade of personas that comprise Calvyn Cass’s artistic DNA.
“Are You Out There” is fairly transparent, when it comes to interpretation. Cass wonders if his one and only is actually in some corner of the world, as oblivious and incomplete as he is. My head in the clouds/shout your name out loud. Cass is in full on experimental mode for this track. His performance is astir and customarily idiosyncratic, as his existing fans have come to expect from him.
“I love playing dress up and bringing my imagination to life,” says Cass. Originally from South Africa, Calvyn migrated to Canada in 2001. He admits that most of his time spent in South Africa, was spent concealing certain aspects of his identity. It was when he moved to Canada, that his process of self-expression, truly began to take shape. He dreamed of being a singer, as a young child, and his uninhibited and liberated identity has become an important factor in realizing that dream.
“Are You Out There,” very much feels like a great stride, towards broadening Calvyn Cass’s platform and reach. His confidence as a songwriter and a recording artist is so increasingly evident on this piece, it is virtually tangible. What’s refreshing is that Calvyn doesn’t reduce himself to becoming a caricature, by being needlessly vulgar or displaying ersatz aggression. There is a grace to Cass, that is underlined by a faint sense of innocence and classic romance. He’s certainly not naïve, but he hasn’t allowed himself to succumb to a shrouded cynicism, either.
Calvyn Cass has taken the most foolproof kinds of risks with “Are You Out There.” It’s a somewhat sophisticated dance song, that requires multiple revisits to get a clearer sense of resonance. While the song’s overall narrative is identifiable, the metaphorical motifs contained in the lyrics are not immune to dissection. This single is evident on not just how serious, that Cass is taking his music career, but his relationship with his own creativity as well. “Are You Out There” is due for an October 15th release, across all major platforms.
Garth Thomas