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 Wonder
Cassandre McKinley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where can you be in this moonlit night
Are you holding someone real tight
Oh, now I wonder
Ohh, I wonder, my heart is aching
I believe I'm a fool to let it go on breaking
Maybe I'll wake up to find I'm mistaken
Since we've been through I've been down Lovers Lane
But in my heart there's only pain
You went traveling but will it last
While I am traveling away fast
Ohh, I wonder, well, well, well
If this new love dies, where will it be
Will your heart come running back home to me
Oh, baby, I wonder, oh, I wonder truly
Since you've been gone, I've been down Lovers Lane
But in my heart there's only pain
You went traveling but will it last
While traveling away fast
Ohh, I wonder, well, well, well, well, well
Will you think of me again today
Though I may be a million miles away
Oh, you know I'll wonder
Tell me, will your heart come running back home to me
Baby, I wonder, oh, yeah, baby, I wonder
Cassandre McKinley's song, "I Wonder," is a soulful ballad expressing the longing and uncertainty of a lover left behind. The singer wonders where her lover is on this moonlit night and imagines them holding someone else close. She admits to her own heartache and questions her decision to let her heart continue to break. The singer reflects on their past and the pain she's experienced while travelling down Lovers Lane, but wonders if her lover will feel the same if this new love fades away. Despite the distance between them, she wonders if her lover will think of her today and if their wandering hearts will eventually lead them back to each other.
The lyrics are filled with poignant questions and yearning, revealing the internal struggle of someone left behind. The singer's wavering emotions are mirrored in the melody and soft instrumentation, building a dreamy and melancholic atmosphere to match the lyrics. The repetition of "I wonder" highlights the uncertainty and desperation of someone looking for answers in the absence of their lover.
Overall, "I Wonder" is a masterful portrayal of the complicated emotions that come with love, especially when one person feels left behind or uncertain about their relationship's future.
Line by Line Meaning
I wonder my little darling
The singer expresses her curiosity about where her beloved could be in the present moonlit night.
Where can you be in this moonlit night
The singer is questioning the whereabouts of her beloved during the night with a bright moon.
Are you holding someone real tight
The singer enquires, whether her beloved is embracing someone else at the moment.
Oh, now I wonder
The artist is overwhelmed with emotions regarding her lover and is left pondering about what might be happening currently.
Ohh, I wonder, my heart is aching
The artist feels a deep pain within and wonders about the condition of her romance.
I believe I'm a fool to let it go on breaking
The singer seems to accept that her relationship is falling apart and blames herself for not preventing it from crumbling.
Maybe I'll wake up to find I'm mistaken
The singer contemplates whether there is still a chance to save her relationship, and hopes that she might be wrong about it ending.
But right now, I wonder
The artist's wondering continues because she is not entirely certain about what's happening at the moment.
Since we've been through I've been down Lovers Lane
After the artist's relationship began, she has been unhappy, symbolized by Lovers Lane being a painful experience for her.
But in my heart there's only pain
The artist's emotional state is a result of the turmoil within her heart regarding her relationship.
You went traveling but will it last
The singer's lover has travelled away from her, but she is not sure if he will be gone for good or return.
While I am traveling away fast
The artist is moving on quickly.
If this new love dies, where will it be
If the new relationship that her lover has created with someone else fails, the singer questions where he will be, and with whom.
Will your heart come running back home to me
The singer ponders whether her lover's heart will return to her in the end.
Oh, baby, I wonder, oh, I wonder truly
The singer expresses her authentic and genuine feelings of curiosity about her ex-lover's possibility to return.
Will you think of me again today
The artist is questioning whether her ex-lover still thinks of her or not even today.
Though I may be a million miles away
Even if the artist is at a great distance, she wonders if her ex-lover still remembers her.
Tell me, will your heart come running back home to me
The singer's torture seems to come alive through her last line, wherein she pleads with her ex-lover to come back home to her.
Baby, I wonder, oh, yeah, baby, I wonder
The singer concludes the song in the same way that she started, with a plea to her ex-lover to return, as her wondering goes on and on.
Contributed by Oliver W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.