Cassandra Ventura

Cassandra Ventura, better known as Cassie, became a recording artist unexpectedly. Shortly after being introduced to music producer, Ryan Leslie, her mother requested that she record a song for her as a birthday gift. Ventura approached Leslie about producing the song, and he put together a duet for them called "Kiss Me". Leslie played it for Tommy Mottola, former chairman of Sony and record mogul behind the careers of Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, and most notably Mariah Carey. He offered Ventura a management deal, and weeks later she struck a deal with Leslie to produce her debut album. She signed with Diddy's record label Bad Boy Records, after he heard "Me & U" played in a club.

We hooked up with Cassie for a brief (but lovely) chat at the Sanderson hotel in central London.

Did you ever think Me & U would be as much of a success as it is?

I didn’t think so at all, it was a demo track! The way it went I just ran with it and really put the song out there to the next level.

I’ve heard some people call you a diva but do you think you are one?

[Crazy laughter] This has happened in Germany and Sweden as well, everyone wants to know if I’m a diva! Diva and bitch can be the same thing or diva can be Beyonce which is just amazing. Right now people wanna call me a bitch because that’s the trend right now. I’m definitely not a diva; I’m very independent and speak my mind which is why I’m sometimes misconstrued. I don’t demand tea or yell at people. People think it’s crazy when I walk out of the car alone, they’re like “wait, you need someone to walk with you!”

How did it make you feel when people were putting down your performances and spreading rumours about Me & U? Do you think people are treating you a bit too harshly?

I think to be on national television, even when there are only a hundred people in front of you, there are millions watching you from their homes. It’s a scary feeling and a lot of it had to do with not being prepared. The single had become so big and I wanted to be just as big as the single and not upset anybody, it was a lot of pressure. Everybody was really supportive and now the negative has helped me improve my performances.

Do you find it find to meet guys now that you’ve found success?

It can be hard but the thing is it would be too difficult to have a boyfriend right now. It’s hard to make somebody understand the situation. I’ve just got a new apartment and I haven’t been there more than two or three days at a time. Hopefully I’ll find my prince one day!

I hear you have some tattoos, what do they mean to you? Did they hurt when you got them done?

[Show me her tattoos] I have one on my wrist saying “No Regrets” which I got done after I signed my deal with Bad Boy, I have several others which I can’t show you as well! There’s also a dragon on my ankle which only hurt a bit but I guess I take pain pretty well.

Do you ever get annoyed when people say you’ve only made it this far because of the people you know?

People can say all they want but I’m been in the entertainment industry since I was twelve years old, I’m now twenty so it’s been a good eight years. Ryan did have a lot to do with it because he helped on the album and Tommy Mottola is my manager so of course he’s involved in my career. It’s all how you work with people, your attitude and working the room. I’ve had great help but I’ve had to find the help at the end of the day and make it work for me.

How did you make the transition from modelling to singing?

It was ultimately working with Ryan. It was hard and exciting deciding whether I was going to make the transition or not. I knew other producers in high school but at that time it didn’t work out. When the situation came up again I was a little weary about it risking my job for something that might not work out.

What do you like doing when you have some free time to yourself?

Just hang out with my friends and doing normal things. While I’ve been in London I’ve met up with one of my best friends and I love shopping. I actually went to TopShop, I hope we get one in New York. Ryan went to Selfridges but I haven’t been there yet.

You’ve had millions of hits on MySpace, how did you do that?

People like Mary J. Blige don’t work on their MySpace but I do. I try to make it interesting for people to look at with different video clips and articles about what’s going on. I replied to mail when I started the MySpace and built up a lot of excitement, then people put the song on their own pages which started a chain.

The next single is “A Long Way 2 Go.” What’s that about? It sounds like you’re talking about a really foolish guy!

[More laughter] It is a bit! The video’s out, I think you can see it somewhere on the internet.

Where can people check you out in the internet?
They can check my official website at www.lovecassie.com and my MySpace website at www.myspace.com/cassiemyspacemusic.

- By Rashmi Shastri