Cassiøpeia, a pink-haired 16-year-old from Burnaby, B.C., was chosen to release “Better” on the Season 2 premiere of The Launch on Wednesday.
“It doesn’t feel real yet,” she said after hearing the news from mentor Scott Borchetta. “I’m incredibly happy.”
Named for the constellation in the northern sky (that was named after a vain queen in Greek mythology), Cassiøpeia said she felt “honoured and blessed and grateful” to have been chosen by Borchetta, Marie-Mai and guest mentor Ryan Tedder.
“Better,” written by Tedder, is now available everywhere you get music.
Cassiøpeia auditioned with a cover of Johnny Cash’s “Walk the Line” and an original song, “Wake Up.”
Borchetta called her “awesome” and an “old soul” while Tedder said he had “zero doubt” that she would find success. “You are so far ahead of the game,” he said.
Five singers competed in the episode but only two – Cassiøpeia and Ottawa's Vi – were chosen by the mentors to record Tedder's song.
MORE: Your Guide To Season 2 Of The Launch
The challenge for Cassiøpeia was relating the lyrics. "Even though I haven't necessarily been in love, I know how to channel this emotion," she explained before stepping in front of the mic. "So I'm going to really connect with this song and emote to it from experiences I've seen around me."
Cassiøpeia, who has previously released three singles of her own, said she is inspired by songwriters like George Ezra and Vance Joy and takes her artistic expression cues from performers like David Bowie, Prince, Norah Jones, Paramore and Canada’s Nelly Furtado.
“Next level is performing in front of bigger audiences and having more people hear my music,” the teen said during the episode.
That’s going to happen now that “Better” is playing across Canada.
“I can now be probably walking into a store and hearing my song on the radio, which has always been a dream of mine,” said Cassiøpeia. “I’m excited and I’m ready to go to work and I’m ready to show the world who Cassiøpeia is.”
Missed this episode of The Launch? Watch it on the CTV app or catch it Saturday at 8 pm on CTV and Sunday at 11 am ET on Much.
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