Meet Kacey Fifield – a bright voice of the new generation. Her songs are sincere stories, conveyed through synthesizer chords, rich rhythms, and vibrant vocal parts. Fresh sound, honest lyrics, and bold experiments – that’s what Kacey is all about. She effortlessly jumps from guitar-driven energy to airy pop while always staying true to herself. In her new single “Saving Face”, the singer touches on complex emotions, wrapping them in a romantic sound. How are her songs born, what lies behind the lyrics, and what moments in music inspire her the most? Let’s find out together.
Hi, Kacey! We’re excited to chat with you. You’ve successfully worked across different genres – from rock to electronic pop. In your new single “Saving Face”, you sing about complex emotions, yet the track itself feels light and romantic. Was that intentional to make the contrast even stronger?
Definitely! The edgy drum beat in the chorus creates a contrast with the romantic synths, which is absolutely meant to imitate the lyrical themes of putting up a front. “Below the surface” of the romance and obsession of the honeymoon stage, the relationship is riddled with deeper issues and conflict. The song describes how we let ourselves overlook red flags when falling for someone and put up a front that everything is perfect just to save face. The sonic background for those lyrics is meant to reflect that idea!
While preparing for this interview, I listened to your songs… And honestly, your music is incredibly diverse! “HOLD UR PEACE” is a powerful guitar bop, “Right Past Me” is a delicate pop ballad, and “Between the Lines” is a dancefloor hit. Each one sets a completely different mood! What was the turning point that led you to create “Saving Face”?
I’ve been making music since I was 10, so my sound has definitely grown alongside me! “Saving Face,” “HOLD UR PEACE,” and “Right Past Me” are all part of my next musical project and I think the unreleased songs on the project really tie it all together into a cohesive sonic and lyrical work. I’m excited for everyone to hear the full project!
It’s clear that you strive to be genuine in your music. How much of “Saving Face” reflects your personal experiences, or do you tend to create artistic imagery and play with fictional stories when writing lyrics?
All my music is rooted in a true emotion that I’ve either experienced or witnessed. Certain songs like “Vegas” create a larger story around that inspiration so I definitely take creative liberty at certain points, but the root of every song comes from a genuine feeling. “Saving Face” feels extra special because of the intimacy of the lyrical story.
I think many people have had moments where they convince themselves that everything is fine, even when deep down, they know something is off. In “Saving Face”, you sing about people putting on masks and ignoring the red flags in relationships. Are you the type to turn a blind eye to the obvious, or do you call things out as they are?
I’ve gotten a lot better at communicating my feelings, but I’m still working on it! I think that being honest with others is super important for all kinds of relationships, even with yourself. But I tend to be overly nostalgic (as my 2024 EP “Nostalgia Haunts Me” might imply lol) and over-romanticize people and memories from my past. The opening lyric “every moment made by my design” refers to that tendency: I craft my own narratives surrounding situations in my life, making myself miss the past more than I should.
“Saving Face” has so many cool electronic elements, but is there a particular moment in the arrangement that you absolutely love to listen to over and over again?
I’m obsessed with the ending! The interplay between the ad-libs and the instrumental is so cool to me. There’s also a repeating sound after the last chorus that sounds like a synth, but is actually my voice, super filtered and distorted!
When two creative people come together in the studio, it’s either instant understanding or endless experimenting until you find the sound. When you worked on “Saving Face” with David Hugo, did you both have a clear vision from the start, or were there heated debates like “More synths!” vs. “Let’s add more guitars!”?
No heated debates, but we sat around for the first two hours of our writing session, spitballing ideas without liking any of them. I feel like I was very much in my head and focused on making a “good” song rather than expressing an authentic feeling. Then, David came up with the synth progression, and I wrote the first verse within a minute. The rest of the song came to us super quickly and we finished it the same day. It was honestly like a switch flipped once we got that synth progression and first verse because it instantly became clear what the song was meant to say.
When I was listening to your songs, I realized that each one tells a story. But let’s be honest – do you have a song in your repertoire that you feel is underrated? And on the flip side, is there a track that blew up way more than you expected, leaving you a little surprised?
It definitely gets its flowers, but “Self Sabotage” is one of my favorites in terms of songwriting so I still think it’s underrated! I was surprised when “Can’t Forget” started getting traction, since it was a super short interlude I wrote for my 2022 album. I love the lyrics though, so I’m glad other people related!
You’ve been in music for quite some time now, and I’m sure there were moments when the journey wasn’t easy. Have you ever thought, “Okay, music is great, but maybe I should do something else”?
No, I’ve never wanted to give up on music! Luckily, I grew up in acting and went to public high school, where I was on the debate team, did internships in local politics, and led volunteer organizations, so I had a lot of time to explore my interests. I’m a sophomore in college now so I still am able to develop other skills, learn about an array of topics, and participate in extracurriculars like improv and dance. I love the entertainment industry, so acting is definitely a path I would love to return to, but music will always be my main focus. Writing songs and performing them live is so important to me.
You’ve gained a strong fanbase, and it feels like people know almost everything about you—from your music to your personal inspirations. But what’s the most unexpected thing about you that your fans would never guess?
A lot of people don’t realize I’m still in school! I go to college in NYC and am majoring in political science with a double minor in music and film.
This probably isn’t your first interview, and I bet you’ve been asked every possible question by now. What’s the one question you get asked the most? And is there a question you wish you could ban forever?
I get asked a lot about which artists I would compare my music to, which I don’t mind, but answering it is the hardest thing ever because I want to have my own sonic identity.
Voxwave Magazine: Music, Culture, Interview, Fashion 