Quotes from Cassadee Pope

I've learned to really just trust my gut and to go with what I really feel inside.

I'm not the best at expressing my feelings other than in songs or on paper. It's just been such a blessing for me my whole life to get my feelings out there in a positive way.

Anytime I can watch television, I usually do the reality show stuff unless it is, of course, 'Breaking Bad' or 'Homeland.' Then, I am all over it.

There's something about being onstage, singing my lyrics to somebody and them either listening and receiving them, or singing them back to me, that I just can't get enough of.

Empowering girls is extremely important to me because, growing up, I needed those empowering women to show me the way. When my parents divorced when I was 11, my mom was a force to be reckoned with. She showed me how to be self-sufficient and independent.

My parents are civil, but they don't keep in touch or hang out or anything. If they're in the same room together and are around each other, they're totally fine and act like adults.

I have never wanted to hide my freckles. I just didn't like the way I looked without them; it didn't look like me.

Country music tell stories. That's something that I can relate to.

I have ventured out and written about real-life experiences that I haven't gone through myself, but I've known people to go through them. In the past, I've always written about my experiences and people related to that, but there's a lot of other things that I've never written about that people have gone through.

I feel like Nashville has really embraced me with open arms. I was a little worried at first; you know, everybody knows about my immediate past, which is rock music. But everyone is coming to find out that I've been singing country music my whole life.

Don't be afraid to not be OK. For a lot of people, when they get upset about something, they keep it bottled up, and that's the worst thing you can do.

It doesn't bother me that people think that Blake Shelton made me go country, because I can understand it. My immediate past is pop-rock, and people don't know a ton about me as a kid - yet. They will soon.

I really love that song. I love when people cover songs that are familiar but have been kind of forgotten about. So when you play it, it takes people back to a certain place. That's what I wanted for 'Torn.'

I'm just going to sing my music; I'm going to write my songs, and I think that people get to know me in that sense.

I am writing things on my own, but I really believe co-writing makes you a better writer.

The hardest part about touring is being away from family and friends. When you're gone for a long time, it's especially hard for me to remember to keep in touch with certain people because there's so much going on on the road.

I came from a private school, and public high school was the first time I ever went to a public school. So I went into it very preppy; I was wearing a lot of Abercrombie and Hollister. Then, my sophomore year, I started listening to rock bands. I had a boyfriend that took me to my first rock show, and I was just addicted to that.

My style is kind of all over the place. I've always loved the combination of leather and lace, but that's probably just been something that I fall back on if I can't really figure out what to wear.

I know people always say to get out of your comfort zone and take risks, but when you are on a live national television show, and you are competing to stay on it, then I don't think you should be uncomfortable up there. I think you should sell it and be your own best self.

The first album I owned was probably a Backstreet Boys album, and shortly after was Shania Twain.

As a songwriter, I've always loved to tell stories. But in my band, it was always about what would make sense for a band to put out.

For 'Hey Monday,' there were songs that I co-wrote with songwriters or producers, but our last EP, the whole band did everything together. I've had a lot of experience with co-writes, which is basically what I'm doing now. I am writing things on my own, but I really believe co-writing makes you a better writer.

In the past, I've always written about my experiences, and people related to that, but there's a lot of other things that I've never written about that people have gone through. I'm still keeping it young and edgy, but I'm definitely putting more of a mainstream twist to it.

I always felt different because I didn't pick one specific clique or group to be a part of, and I didn't choose one thing to be. I cheered, sang in chorus, was in student government, played in rock bands, went to dirt races in western PA... My interests have always been diverse.