CLIFTON PARK — Modern Day Music School’s impressive roster is no secret to anyone who has been paying attention in the Capital District. The tiny school, hidden in a plaza just south of one of the busiest intersections on Route 9, has students Moriah Formica and Madison VanDenburg, as well as Broadway starlet Ella Dane Morgan, in its wings.
Now, another promising voice from MDMS is making a splash with her first EP.
Cassie Cenzano, 17, is different than any of her peers. The crooner finds inspiration from Adele and has a sultry range that would make any female vocalist drool with jealousy. She’s been steadily releasing covers and snippets on her social media channels, teasing what’s to come and the potential she’s wielding.
Cenzano has been working on her first EP, “Living,” since she was 15 years old. In the two years since The Spot 518 interviewed her at MDMS, the teen has had a bigger introduction to the field she’s getting ready to call home.
“This whole experience has shown me just how dedicated people in this field are to music,” Cenzano said. “Each person who worked on this, including my teachers and the team at Modern Day Music, had such a huge role in making my dreams come true.”
Cenzano said Living focuses around following her dreams and the wins and losses of chasing a goal. With her coming into adulthood is an increase in her autonomy, both in her personal life and in her music, and her music tracks the journey from the 15-year-old songwriter to the songwriter who now releases her own music.
Cenzano will attend Belmont University with a projected graduation date of 2025; she will major in commercial music. Nashville seemed right to her because of the culture she’s chasing; one might remember Taylor Swift’s career has serious roots in the country capital of the world. Cenzano sees Nashville as a plethora of opportunities that are now becoming more and more accessible with her talents becoming more public.
“I felt like a star the entire time I was recording Living,” Cenzano said. “Paul [Benedetti, MDMS owner] and his team really took the nerves away and made me feel incredible while we were in production.”
Cenzano added the experience has also taught her how to work in a more independent fashion — a trait that will serve her well in the next leg of her academic career.
“This experience has not only allowed me to grow personally, but grow professionally and learn how to market my talent in the best way I can,” Cenzano concluded. “I’ve enjoyed the journey of finding myself more through my music.”
To purchase Living, visit cassiecenzano.com.
