But I was also thinking about the name itself, the way it sounds – Petco – and how it sounds like a place where you go to get your pets. It’s this weird blend of pet and co, like they’re your companions. I just thought it was an interesting name to play with in my mind, so I wrote about it in my notes. It was just there, this weird little moment that I wanted to capture.
Wayne’s World
Watching Wayne’s World on loop during your time in Aurora, Illinois must have been an interesting experience. How did that film influence your mindset or creative process during that period?
It was definitely a meditation on how to be funny, I think. Wayne’s World is so funny and so silly, but it’s also really smart and really sweet. I think that’s what I was trying to capture in my music as well. I wanted to be funny and engaging, but also have depth and sweetness. I think that’s what Wayne’s World does so well – it’s absurd, but it’s also so loving and so well-meaning. It was a nice escape for me during a difficult time, to just watch something that made me laugh and feel good. And I think that definitely influenced my mindset and creative process during that period. It reminded me not to take things too seriously, to have fun with it, and to remember that there’s always a way to find joy even in difficult times.
Hayden Planetarium
I know you’ve mentioned before that you find stargazing to be a very meditative experience. How does the Hayden Planetarium in New York City play into that?
The Hayden Planetarium is such a special place for me. I love going there to watch the shows and learn about the stars and the universe. It’s a place where you can really feel connected to something bigger than yourself, something vast and mysterious. I think that feeling of awe and wonder is so important for creativity, for opening yourself up to new ideas and perspectives. Stargazing in general is such a humbling experience – it reminds you of how small we are in the grand scheme of things, but also how connected we are to everything around us. It’s a beautiful reminder of our place in the universe, and I think that’s something that really comes through in my music as well. I try to capture that sense of wonder and connection, that feeling of being a tiny part of something vast and beautiful.
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day is such a classic film, and it deals with themes of repetition and self-improvement. How do those themes resonate with you, especially in the context of your creative process?
I think repetition is such a fascinating concept, especially in the context of creativity. Groundhog Day is such a brilliant exploration of that idea – the idea of being stuck in a loop, of repeating the same day over and over again, and how that can either drive you crazy or help you grow. I think in a way, creativity is also about repetition – about going back to the same ideas and themes over and over again, but finding new ways to approach them, new angles to explore. It’s about learning from your mistakes, refining your craft, and pushing yourself to do better each time. Groundhog Day is a reminder that even in the most repetitive and mundane moments, there’s always the possibility for growth and change. It’s a reminder to keep pushing forward, to keep trying new things, even when it feels like you’re stuck in a loop. That’s something that really resonates with me in my creative process – the idea of constantly striving to improve, to learn, to grow, even when it feels like I’m going in circles.
It was saying, “Just come in, we’ll take care of you.” It was a message of offering relief from suffering. And that is something that really struck me – how we can interpret things in different ways based on our own mindset and perspective. It made me think about how we can choose to see things as either despair or hope, and how that choice can really change our experience of the world. It was a simple moment that made me reflect on the power of perception and the possibility for transformation. And that’s something that I try to explore in my work, the idea that we can always choose to see things differently, to find hope even in the most unlikely of places. It was a way for me to share something that I find really beautiful and calming with other people. The event was a mix of music and visuals, and it was a really special experience to see my music accompanied by these stunning visuals of the cosmos. It felt like a perfect blend of art and science, which is something that I find really fascinating and important. I hope to do more events like that in the future, combining music and science in a way that can inspire and uplift people. It was a really magical night, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to share it with others.
Es muy enraizante explorar el vínculo entre el arte y la ciencia. Esa presentación en el planetario fue mi primera forma de dejarle saber al mundo que estoy interesada en esto y decir, como, “Estoy abierta a negocios”. Si necesitas que componga música para tu espectáculo en el planetario, soy tu chica. Y si quieres una fiesta de músicos independientes en tu planetario, llama al 1-800-Cassandra-Jenkins. [risas] Realmente quiero hacer más de esto. Hay planetarios en todo el mundo, y quiero compartir la exaltación que he experimentado al ir a estos espectáculos. Estoy muy entusiasmada al respecto. Simplemente creo que es una perspectiva maravillosa que podemos utilizar. De alguna manera deseo que nuestros candidatos presidenciales pudieran tener una experiencia del Efecto Visión General y luego participar en las elecciones. Me pregunto cómo afectaría eso las cosas. También me pregunto si ciertas personas no son susceptibles al Efecto Visión General.
Maggie Nelson
Hablo mucho sobre el color azul, y creo que no se puede hablar sobre el color azul sin mencionar a Maggie Nelson. Su libro Bluets ha tenido tanta influencia en muchos artistas. Ella escribió una obra de arte tan bellamente construida y que explora tan bellamente el color azul en toda su profundidad, y lo hace a través de tantos medios. Ella es una artista tan curiosa y exploratoria de esa manera. Hay una línea: “Me he convertido en una sirvienta de mi tristeza”. Ella está, por supuesto, estableciendo conexiones entre el azul y la tristeza, y las complejidades de esa emoción. En algún momento, alguien dijo: “Deberías llamar a tu canción ‘Azules de Delphinium'”. Y yo dije: “Absolutamente no, ese no es el punto. Estoy tomando una decisión muy consciente de no hacer eso”.
Esperé mucho tiempo para leer su libro porque experimento depresión y la he experimentado crónicamente durante mucho tiempo. Creo que el libro realmente habla sobre la depresión de una manera muy hermosa que es muy difícil de lograr. Esperé hasta sentir que estaba en un buen estado para leerlo, pero lo recomendaría a cualquiera. “Me he convertido en una sirvienta de mi tristeza” se convirtió en una línea a la que respondí en ‘Azul de Delphinium’, diciendo que soy una sirvienta de estas flores, este lugar. Es un acto de servicio que estoy aquí haciendo esto. Me gusta darle la vuelta a esa idea un poco, retorcerla a una dimensión más profunda; tomar esa idea, llevarla a este lugar, y el significado cambia con ella. Me gusta jugar con el lenguaje de esa manera. Además, incluirla en esa canción es incluir su mundo también; hacer una referencia como esa es decir, “Sí, estoy hablando de esto. [risas] En caso de que te lo estés preguntando, soy muy consciente de ese libro”. También hablo de esto en ‘Aurora’, también, escuchas, “Estoy buscando cielos azules”. Esa delgada línea, la delgada línea azul de la que habla Shatner; el efecto del pequeño punto azul. El color azul es muy omnipresente en el disco.
Esta entrevista ha sido editada y condensada para mayor claridad y longitud.
My Light, My Destroyer de Cassandra Jenkins ya está disponible a través de Dead Oceans.
My Light, My Destroyer de Cassandra Jenkins