Caroline Romano on making music “for the oddities and prodigies”

Interview by: Kenzie Bright 

Get to know Caroline Romano, an up and coming singer-songwriter and self-proclaimed “loudest sort of introvert”. Having started her career at the early age of 15, Romano has since gained large momentum in 2020 with the release of “I Still Remember (R3HAB Remix)” and amassed over 100K listeners on Spotify. Now, following the release of her debut record, Oddities and Prodigies, PLEASER writer Kenzie Bright had the opportunity to talk to Romano about being a Gen-Z artist, her hometown inspirations, and more. 

Photo by Justin Nolan Key

PLEASER: Hi Caroline! Thanks for doing this interview with us! Firstly, please introduce yourself and tell us what you’re all about.

Caroline Romano: Thank you for having me! I’m Caroline Romano, and I’m a 20-year old alt-pop artist currently living in Nashville, Tennessee. I was born in Mississippi, started writing songs when I was thirteen, and moved to Nashville to pursue music when I was seventeen. I write music for anyone who might consider themselves an oddity in some aspect. I write songs for the young and depressed, the misfits, and the love-crazed. I want to make music that helps people feel understood in some way; for the oddities and prodigies.  

What inspired you to start making music?

CR: I don’t know if there was a specific thing/moment that inspired me to start making music. I used to journal every day after school, and that’s kind of how my songwriting journey began. I would put those journal entries to melodies I’d create with my guitar; that’s sort of how I fell in love with songwriting. I will say I was super inspired by Taylor Swift growing up, and still am. I remember watching her “Journey To Fearless” documentary, and that was what inspired me to go to Nashville to start writing and playing shows. I’ve always loved to write, and in so many ways I can see how making music was sort of inevitable for me.

There’s been buzz that you’re an up-and-coming artist who has the Gen Z flare to be one of the generation’s best pop acts. Who are some Gen Z artists who inspire you?

CR: That is a very awesome statement, I’m very flattered to be part of such a buzz. This is a tough question; there are so many Gen Z artists that continuously inspire and amaze me. Conan Gray, Olivia Rodrigo, The Kid Laroi, and Chloe Moriondo are definitely some of my favorites right now. Everything they seem to touch is gold; I can’t get enough of them.

Being only 20 years old and having success in your music career, what has been the most surprising thing to come from it?

CR: I’d say the most surprising thing to come from the success I’ve had, or any success at a decently young age, has been the way it shaped my teenage years. Music has been my main focus since I was about fourteen. In many ways, I feel like I’ve been an adult since then. The joy music has brought me, the moments of success I’ve seen so far from it, have felt worlds away from high school dances and graduation. I guess it was kind of a trade-in. I chose to pursue music at an early age; however, I am thankful every day that I made that choice. I guess I didn’t realize how much it would alter my youth; it was isolating sometimes. 

You’re based in Nashville. How has the Nashville music scene helped to inspire you?

CR: Nashville is one of the richest music epicenters of the world; it’s impossible not to be inspired.  Everyone you meet, from studio producers to college students, is involved in the music industry in some way. It’s a very motivating and encouraging environment.  Writing with people is just as common as a coffee meeting, and you can’t go downtown without bumping into a hundred different venues playing live music. Nashville lives and breathes music. It’s essentially what the entire city sets out to do every day. I don’t think there’s anywhere else I’d rather be.

Your debut album, Oddities & Prodigies, is a big stepping stone in your career. How long did it take to create the album from start to finish?

CR: I had written some of the songs off Oddities and Prodigies by myself at the end of 2020. I didn’t fully set out to create this album until about June or July of 2021. We wrapped in December, so it was about six months of writing and recording. 

Do you have a favorite track off of your debut album?

CR: To a lot of people’s surprise, my favorite song off the album is “Leaving Wednesday”. It’s my favorite song I’ve ever written, and I can’t exactly express why; it just is.

You’ve been classified in the alt-pop genre. Do you think that is a good assessment or do you believe your sound goes beyond that?

CR: I definitely feel like alt-pop is a fair classification of my sound, but I’ve never been a big fan of genres. This album is alt-pop; I’d say that about the majority of the songs I write, but I don’t particularly like to write from the perspective of a genre. I like to let the song be what it wants to be, and so far they’ve all been in that sound. I’m inspired by classic rock and folk music, but I still like to write songs you might hear on the radio. I think that’s where those alternative elements meet rock. 

You’ve also proclaimed yourself as the “loudest sort of introvert”; what does that mean to you?

CR: I know a lot of loud introverts, and I would classify myself as one of them for sure.  To me, the loudest sort of introvert is someone who doesn’t say a lot, but when they do, it’s something really important. They’re never audibly loud, but the weight of their words or actions is. They’re loud in different ways. Still an introvert; nonetheless, they don’t go unnoticed either. 

What are you up to outside of making music?

CR: Honestly, not that much, but I’m trying to change that. I realized over the past year that I don’t know where much of my identity lies outside of music, so I’ve been trying to branch out and live more in the present. I like to work out, go hiking, hang out with my family and my cat, and go out with my friends. I’m getting back into reading, which I’ve really enjoyed. I’m kind of boring outside of music, but I don’t really mind. 

Has there been a fan interaction that has been the most memorable/your favorite?

CR: The most memorable fan interactions have honestly been the messages I receive from people about how they’ve related to one of my songs or my music as a whole. It’s crazy to hear people write to me about the same things I was experiencing when I wrote a song, or when they tell me they feel exactly what I hoped they would feel from my music. To know that I’ve impacted someone's life in a positive way, no matter how small, always feels like an enormous accomplishment to me. I hold each one of those interactions so close to my heart.

One last question! Pretend that you have the opportunity to manifest working with an artist for a dream collab; who would it be?

CR: This has to be a tie between Taylor Swift and Noah Kahan. They are my all-time favorite songwriters. I couldn’t choose between them, but it would be an absolute dream come true to work with either one of them!