McKinley grew up 20 minutes outside of Boston - a place she envisioned herself being from early on. She began training as a singer, dancer and actress at 14, but was never extreme in her focus for one or the other. The dance company she studied and performed with kept her well rounded and allowed her frequent trips to Boston and NYC for auditions and commercial work. She began working with vocal coach while attending The Boston Conservatory of Music.
After college McKinley worked as a waitress, model, secretary, courier and anything else that would afford her rent in the city. She took advantage of city living by attending open mic nights and jam sessions. She took any and all vocal work available; commercials, demo recordings, weddings, at church in the gospel choir, Big Bands, Rock bands - any kind of band. Her natural capability to perform all styles of music made it easy to find work. A few guest appearances in larger venues (The House of Blues, Ryles Jazz Club) gave her the "singing-for-a-live-audience" fever and started her on a quest to appear as a headliner. It had become clear to those that had worked with McKinley, to her fans, and McKinley herself that Jazz was not only something she had a special knack for - she felt more passion for it than any other style of music.
A voice over for a locai car dealership lead to her first legitimate jazz gig - she was asked to sing the jingle "live" and follow with a night of jazz music at the dealer's showroom. McKinley enlisted help by hiring the best jazz musican's Boston had to offer to support her - from that point on, she would continue cultivating musical relationships that would strenthen her artistically. Dick Johnson (Artie Shaw Orchestra), Herb Pomeroy, Al Vega and a list of local legends - world class performers - all spent time with McKinley with a willingness to advise and educate the young singer. "Friendships like these are a gift - those gentlemen shared thier philosophies with me - they each taught me to trust my instincts". McKinley admits that the jazz form and the art of "improvisation" appeals to her. "I love the freedom that comes with singing jazz - although there is still a form to the music, it can move and bend - it all depends on what's inside the soul and how you happen to apply it".
When asked who her influences are, she answers with a surprising mix. "Dinah Washington, Anita O'Day, Miles Davis, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Cat Stevens, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Nancy Wilson - even Elvis. Drawing from this diverse group, McKinley has developed a sound and style that is unique to her like leaves on a tree. Her soulful blend is simple, yet sophisticated - true and distinctive.
Cassandre was recognized as a "Jazz Diva" in Arts Around Boston Magazine - a term she only feels comfortable with because of the talented women included alongside her in the article; Rebecca Parris and Carol Sloan were among them.
Cassandre has just released her debut album under the MAXJAZZ label titled ”TIL TOMORROW - Remembering Marvin Gaye”. In this body of work, McKinley delivers her interpretation of selected music Gaye wrote, co-wrote and performed throughout his career. From inception to execution, McKinley's sensitivity to Gaye's message and her rich, warm sound combine to pull this project far, far away from the ordinary. Creating a genre that just fits between Jazz, Smooth Jazz and R & B, "Til Tomorrow" is a rich exploration into Nu-Jazz and Soul - focusing on the "soul".
"Making this album was like reading over old pages from my journals - it was a beautiful opportunity to see where it is I've been and then, take a moment to anticipate what may be ahead."
I Wish It Would Rain
Cassandre McKinley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The girl has found another and gone away.
With her went my future my life is filled with gloom
So day after day I stay locked up in my room.
I know to you, it might sound strange but I wish it would rain,
'Cause so badly I wanna go outside
But everyone knows that a man ain't supposed to cry
Oh yeah, people this hurt I feel inside.
Words could never explain, I just wish it would rain.
Day in day out my tear-stained face
Pressed against the window pain,
My eyes search the skies desperately for rain,
Cause rain-drops will hide my tear -drops
And no one will ever know that I'm crying,
Crying when I go outside.
To the world outside my tears,
I refuse to explain, oh I wish it would rain,
Let it rain, let it rain.
I need rain to disguise the tears in my eyes.
Oh, let it rain.
I'm a man and I got my pride
Til' it rains I'm gonna stay inside and let it rain.
The lyrics of Cassandre McKinley’s song “I Wish It Would Rain” convey the feeling of heartbreak and pain. The singer of the song is heartbroken because his ex-girlfriend has left him and taken his future with her. The bright and sunny days only add to his pain as he cannot bear to go outside and show his tears to the world. The poet wishes for rain so that he can hide his tears and not have to explain his sorrow to anyone. The raindrops will mask his tears, and he can go outside without feeling vulnerable. He states that crying eases his pain, and he needs to cry despite the societal norms that dictate men don’t cry.
The lyrics of the song convey the helplessness and despair that come with heartbreak. The singer is not only sad that his relationship has ended, but also that his future seems bleak without her. The sunny days are a constant reminder of his heartache, and he wishes that rain would come to hide his pain. The lyrics also suggest that expressing grief is crucial to healing from heartbreak. The singer acknowledges that crying eases his pain but is ashamed to cry in front of others due to societal norms. These lyrics can resonate with anyone who has suffered heartbreak and understands the need to hide their true emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunshine blue skies please go away
The singer is feeling down because the girl he was supposed to spend his life with has gone away, and he does not want to be surrounded by happiness anymore.
With her went my future my life is filled with gloom
The singer is devastated as he feels that his future was taken away along with his partner, and now his life is full of sadness and despair.
So day after day I stay locked up in my room.
The singer is so upset that he has no desire to go outside or interact with the world, and he spends his days trapped in his room.
I know to you, it might sound strange but I wish it would rain,
The artist knows that other people may find it weird, but he wishes it would rain because it would help him conceal his tears and hide his emotional pain.
'Cause so badly I wanna go outside
Despite wanting to stay inside and isolate himself, the artist longs to be able to go outside and enjoy the world again.
But everyone knows that a man ain't supposed to cry
The singer is aware of society's expectations that men should not show their emotions and cry, but he feels that he needs to let out his feelings through crying.
Listen, I gotta cry 'cause crying eases the pain,
The singer believes that crying is a helpful way to cope with his emotional pain and that it can help him feel better in the long run.
Oh yeah, people this hurt I feel inside.
The artist is experiencing intense emotional pain due to the loss of his partner, and he wants others to understand just how much it is affecting him.
Words could never explain, I just wish it would rain.
The artist knows that it is difficult to express the extent of his emotional pain in words, and he wishes that the rain could wash away his pain and give him some relief.
Day in day out my tear-stained face
The artist's face is constantly wet with tears as he struggles to cope with his emotions.
Pressed against the window pain,
The singer spends a lot of time staring out the window in hopes of seeing rain, which could help him hide his tears from the world.
My eyes search the skies desperately for rain,
The artist is desperate for rain to fall so that he can conceal his tears and avoid being judged for showing his emotions in public.
Cause rain-drops will hide my tear -drops
The singer hopes that the rain will help conceal his tears so that he can go outside without fear of being judged for crying.
And no one will ever know that I'm crying,
By hiding his tears behind the rain, the singer can keep his emotions secret and avoid the judgment of others.
Crying when I go outside.
The singer is afraid to cry in public, but with the rain to conceal his tears, he feels comfortable enough to leave his room and go outside.
To the world outside my tears,
The artist is aware of the societal expectation that men should not cry in public and is therefore afraid of being judged for showing his emotions.
I refuse to explain, oh I wish it would rain,
Rather than trying to explain his pain to the world, the artist wishes for rain to fall so that he can hide his tears and avoid judgment.
Let it rain, let it rain.
The singer hopes for rain to fall so that he can conceal his tears and feel comfortable going outside again.
I need rain to disguise the tears in my eyes.
The singer hopes that the rain will conceal his tears and allow him to go outside without fear of being judged by others.
I'm a man and I got my pride
The artist is aware of society's expectations that men should be strong and not show their emotions, but he also feels that it is important to express his feelings.
Til' it rains I'm gonna stay inside and let it rain.
The artist plans to stay inside until it rains, hoping that the rainfall will help him conceal his tears and make him feel more comfortable going outside again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Rodger Sr. Penzabene, Barrett Strong, Norman Whitefield
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind