Casey Bishop By Casey Bishop: Her Pop-Punk Debut

Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Briston Maroney, and the short time fan favorite David Archuleta— all names and faces spread widely across the world thanks to a slew of judges and a moment in the spotlight (if you’re thinking American Idol then you’re right). Besides the shows feminine empowered icons, the irony surrounding its winners is rather repetitive.

Those who come out on top usually don’t stay there for very long. But those who win the hearts of the heartbroken, to then get rejected in the Top 4, have a taste for revenge and a team of unstoppable Gen Z-ers to get them to where they belong– and Casey Bishop is one of them.

Reigning from Fort Myers, FL, the alt-punk pop princess made her mark in the industry on American Idol’s 19th season by climbing the ladder to the Top 4 at age 16. Having received acclaim and eventual companionship from Luke Bryan, her career didn’t stop after walking off that stage.

Currently sitting with the world at her fingertips, Bishop got her foot in the door of genres of opposing style, a tool-belt of countrified alternative punk. With a voice of angelic range and powerful introspection it came to no surprise that she’d make it this far, and her debut self-titled EP holds all the receipts.

Casey Bishop is a powerhouse project that fuses the intricacies of Fleetwood Mac, Billie Eilish, and Mötley Crüe to create a mystifying sound of her own. Fully succumbing to the souls of her inspirations, Casey Bishop mixes the double edged sword of staticky vocals softened by the beat of her own drum with the elegant twang of reflective conversation to rewrite her experiences with heartbreak, paranoia, and growing up.

The folk-rooted, alt-punk, pop infused record defies the laws of any music genre and displays Bishop as the artist she was born to be. Although varying in style, each track coexists in a space of full emotional vulnerability, expressing thoughts, wants, mistakes, and memories in a way that lets us in to her world without giving us a proper introduction.

It’s in your face yet softly distant leaving room for interpretation and comfortability. “Bad Dream,” the first track to this project, leaves no crumbs left behind in its electrifying haze of rebellion. With a riff that vibrates through your veins “Bad Dream” is a landscape of the haunting and hand to hold for security. Balancing between each breath Bishop rattles with release through each note, and puts on a performance behind closed doors.

The following track, “Don’t Talk!” hardens the records exterior with anthemic rage– while still being incredibly experimental. This track is Bishop taking her power back with a folk twang and a synthesized guitar, two working elements that pack a punch that transcends beyond each note– a song that’s meant to be sung back with even greater force.

As the record continues, the following track, “Kerosene,” injects an addictive quality in its rhythm and lyricism– as the two don’t match up at its introduction but eventually find closure at the chorus, similar to the tracks inspiration. “Kerosene” bleeds through a punk scored wound and clots with the articulation of a blues record, again playing with opposites but finding middle ground.

Following the halfway point in the project is “Blurry Vision,” the starting point of tender vulnerability for Bishop as the music slows down and her voice transcends higher. “Blurry Vision” puts Bishop’s voice on display as its instrumentals follow along in the background until its there time to shine, and when they do it’s incredibly precise. As if taken from the pages of a diary, the lyrics have a mind and heart of their own, and they extract our own emotions to give them a sounding board.

“Denied,” the 5th track on this project gives melancholy a whole new meaning. This track acts as a confessional in that Bishop confesses her feelings in moments of insecurity, and her vocal range matches her frustration and dejection in a way that pulls at your tear ducts. With a consistent back track, “Denied” gives way for Bishop’s vocals to be the main focus, and she prevails like no other.

As a final tribute to feminism, power, and taking a stand, “The Warning” combines the ferocity of the first half of this album with the tender resilience of the second half, while still kicking the dirt out from under her boots. In a clashing introduction the tone is set for revenge– in which Bishop’s psychedelic vocals put you in a trance and locks you in until her final breath.

The all buzzy, tongue-in-cheek record displays Bishop clapping back and standing up for herself, letting the world know that she is here to stay. To get the full emotional effect of this record, we suggest listening to it from start to finish– as you will see for yourself how progression has a purpose and her story dissects all aspects of life. Listen to the EP here, now available on all streaming platforms.