DJ Cassandra: Beyond the Music, Finding Healing, Connection, and the Courage to Keep Going

Sometimes life brings people back into our paths for a reason. And sometimes those reunions happen at exactly the right moment.

Two years ago, I had the opportunity to interview DJ Cassandra while representing another media platform. Even then, I was impressed by her talent, authenticity, and passion for music.

Fast-forward to Austin City Limits Music Festival 2026, and there we were again. This time, I was representing my own company, AWRCL Media, and we were reconnecting on World Mental Health Day.

I had continued following her journey over the past two years, watching her career grow and celebrating her accomplishments from a distance. When I learned she would be returning to ACL, I knew I wanted another opportunity to sit down with her.

What began as a conversation about music evolved into one of the most emotionally honest interviews I experienced during the festival.

And it reminded me why I created AWRCL Media in the first place.

Music Is More Than Entertainment. It's Healing.

DJ Cassandra's career encompasses DJing, composing, curating, and performing. Her ACL set reflected her creative identity, incorporating her own remixes and the sounds she genuinely loves.

But when I asked how working across different areas of music had shaped her understanding of its emotional and mental impact, her response went far beyond the stage.

"Music is powerful. It is so powerful."

She described music's ability to make us laugh, cry, celebrate, connect with strangers, and process some of life's most difficult experiences.

For Cassandra, that connection is deeply personal.

Music has helped her navigate breakups, the loss of her mother, and some of the hardest moments of her life. It has also accompanied her happiest memories.

"It's healing," she explained.

She wanted her ACL performance to capture that full emotional experience, allowing the audience to feel something beyond the excitement of a live set.

One of the songs she incorporated was her remix of a Jacob Collier track, which opened her performance. She spoke about the joy of recognizing audience members who understood and connected with that particular musical choice.

That recognition represented something greater than shared musical taste.

It represented belonging.

Learning to Protect Her Peace While Her Career Grows

Success is often measured through bigger stages, larger audiences, and expanding opportunities.

But what happens to the person behind the success?

Having watched Cassandra's career evolve over the past two years, I wanted to know what she had learned about protecting her mental well-being while continuing to pursue new opportunities.

Her answer focused on something many of us overlook: taking care of ourselves in the middle of everything we're trying to accomplish.

She shared that she has been journaling more and investing additional time in her physical well-being.

She also acknowledged that she hadn't always prioritized adequate sleep, drinking enough water, exercising, or simply walking her dog.

Those everyday activities have become increasingly important to her.

Rather than allowing success to move so quickly that she misses the experience, she's working to become more grounded and present.

She wants to enjoy the moments she's worked so hard to achieve.

And perhaps one of the most meaningful changes has been learning to stop focusing on outside criticism and constant noise.

She spoke about trusting her instincts, valuing her relationships, and allowing herself to feel proud instead of endlessly criticizing her own efforts.

As someone who has spent years advocating for mental health awareness, I found that message especially important.

Sometimes protecting our peace isn't about making dramatic changes.

Sometimes it's about giving ourselves permission to enjoy the life we're building.

Finding Connection Through Music

Because our conversation took place on World Mental Health Day, I asked Cassandra what she would say to someone who turns to music while navigating grief, stress, loneliness, or another difficult season.

Her response was simple:

"Just keep listening."

She encouraged people to continue allowing music to move them emotionally and create connections with others.

For Cassandra, music has been the foundation of many of her closest relationships.

She shared how she connected with her best friend through jazz and described the musical connection she shares with Darcy, her guitar player.

Those relationships have become part of her support system during difficult moments.

Music isn't simply what Cassandra performs.

It's how she connects, builds friendships, and navigates life.

And when someone finds another person who understands the music they love, that shared connection can become something much bigger.

A friendship. A relationship. A source of strength.

Sometimes even the person who helps us through our most difficult days.

"You're Not Alone": The Moment Our Conversation Changed

Toward the end of our interview, I asked Cassandra a question that I ask many of the artists I speak with:

If you could leave one message for someone struggling silently right now, what would you want them to hear?

Her answer was immediate.

"You're not alone."

What followed was an incredibly vulnerable moment.

Cassandra shared that a close friend had recently been suffering without her knowing. She then revealed that she, too, had experienced an extremely difficult period just two weeks earlier.

She described feeling overwhelmed, questioning everything, and reaching a point where she called 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, for support.

It was a deeply personal disclosure, particularly from someone whose career continues to grow and whose public life appears filled with exciting opportunities.

She explained that people often see the happiness without realizing how difficult life can be behind the scenes.

"The highs are high and the lows are low," she said.

And she wanted people to understand something else.

Even when we believe we're burdening others with our struggles, reaching out can make a difference.

"And it just takes one person to really help you."

That moment stayed with me.

Because it speaks directly to something I've spent years trying to communicate through A Wild Ride Called Life and now AWRCL Media.

We never truly know what someone else is carrying.

The photographs, the performances, the smiles, and the social media highlights tell only part of a person's story.

Someone can be living out their dreams and still be struggling.

Someone can be surrounded by people and still feel alone.

And someone who appears to have everything going right may be fighting an internal battle nobody else sees.

The Reality Behind the Highlight Reel

As our conversation continued, Cassandra acknowledged the contrast between the beautiful moments people see online and the difficulties that often remain private.

She talked about the pressures that can intensify as a career grows and the importance of disconnecting from social media when the noise becomes overwhelming.

She also reflected on what it meant to be standing at ACL that day, performing, connecting with people, and experiencing moments she might never have imagined during her lowest periods.

Her gratitude was unmistakable.

She was thankful for the opportunity to perform again, for the people in her life, and for everything she was experiencing.

Her words reinforced an important reminder: the challenges we're experiencing today don't tell us everything about what tomorrow may hold.

And sometimes we need help getting through those challenges so we can discover what comes next.

A World Mental Health Day Reunion That Meant More

There was something especially meaningful about the timing of this interview.

October 10 was World Mental Health Day, and Cassandra expressed how honored she felt to have a performance scheduled on that particular day.

She talked about finding meaning in the timing of her set and her return to ACL Weekend Two.

I shared that I had originally applied to cover Weekend One, but festival organizers invited me to Weekend Two specifically because of its connection to World Mental Health Day.

For me, that opportunity aligned with everything I've been building through AWRCL Media.

I didn't launch this company simply to interview artists, cover festivals, or produce entertainment content.

I created it to make room for conversations that matter.

Conversations that move beyond accomplishments and reveal the human experiences behind them.

And Cassandra gave me exactly that opportunity.

Our reunion was about more than catching up on her career.

It was a chance to talk openly about the emotional realities of pursuing a dream, the importance of connection, and what it means to keep going when life becomes difficult.

Before we ended our conversation, Cassandra also shared a compassionate message for those who have lost someone to mental health struggles.

It was a reminder that these conversations matter not only to people struggling today, but also to families and friends carrying the pain of loss.

More Than an Interview

There are interviews you conduct because they're part of your job.

And then there are interviews that remind you why you started doing the work in the first place.

This was one of those interviews.

Watching DJ Cassandra grow over the past two years has been exciting. But hearing her speak so openly about her journey made me appreciate something far beyond her musical accomplishments.

Her willingness to share her struggles may reach someone who needed to hear that they aren't alone.

And that is something no festival attendance number, streaming milestone, or career achievement can measure.

As a veteran, mental health advocate, and founder of AWRCL Media, I know how important it is to create spaces where people can talk about the challenges that often remain hidden.

DJ Cassandra reminded me that even on the biggest stages, the most important thing we can offer another person is our humanity.

Behind every artist is a person. Behind every performance is a story. And sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is remind someone that they don't have to face their struggles alone.

Thank you, DJ Cassandra, for trusting me with this conversation, for sharing your journey, and for allowing AWRCL Media to be part of your story once again.

Mental Health Resource: If you or someone you know is struggling or experiencing a crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the United States. Support is available 24/7.