Cassie Henderson on her 2x AMA nominations, growth & what’s next

Cassie Henderson is no stranger to the NZ music scene. Maybe you first saw her on X Factor NZ, or perhaps her 2023 single Whatever has been living rent-free in your head. With the Aotearoa Music Awards just around the corner and two nominations to her name, we caught up with Cassie to talk music, growth, and what’s coming next.

Congratulations on your nomination for Best Pop artist and Single of the Year at the Aotearoa Music Awards! What does this recognition mean to you? 

Thank you so much! These nominations are such a huge honour. When you’re so immersed in the work, it can be hard to step back and see how far you’ve actually come. Ten years ago, all I wanted was to hear one of my songs on the radio and play a show where people sang the words back to me - and that’s where I’m at now. The recognition for all the hard work is amazing, but more than anything, this nomination feels like a moment to pause and go “hell yeah, we did that.” And not just me—all of us. The fans, my team, my producer, my family and friends—we’ve all played a part in this, and we can all feel really proud and connected. That’s a very cool feeling.

This will be your second year nominated at the Aotearoa Music Awards. What are you most excited for on the night? 

My favourite part of last year's show was the performances, so I’m looking forward to seeing those! Some epic artists performing this year (Fazerdaze, Aaradhna and Ladi6, CHAII - to name just a few). 

You’ve been in the public eye since a young age (we all love you from your X Factor days!) How has your relationship with music evolved over the years? 

Thank you! X Factor was such a wild introduction to the music world, and I honestly feel really lucky to have had that experience. It’s pretty rare for a new artist to be thrown onto a massive, televised stage with dancers, a full band, and the whole country watching. It was a crash course in performing, and in being seen. Because of that, I think my relationship with music was always a little tied to validation. My foundations were built on things like how many votes I got each week or how many likes a post received. I was constantly measuring myself and my music. But in the last few years, that’s shifted massively. When I’m thinking about the business side, sure—numbers, reach, streams—it all plays a part. But the real moments, the ones that stick, are never about stats. They’re the quiet, human moments. When I get to meet someone who tells me a song helped them through a hard time, or sitting in the studio with Joe and feeling that sudden stillness when a song finally lands exactly where it’s meant to. That’s what it’s about for me now—connection. Helping people feel a little less alone, and finding that feeling for myself too. That’s the foundation everything sits on now.

You’ve recently been on tour! Do you ever find time to switch off, and do you have any wellness tips for on the road? 

I find switching off really difficult because as a musician, you can kind of always be working, it's very easy to bring it home with you. But one thing I’ve focused on this year is good sleep and yoga. I have found that getting proper rest, and letting my mind & body recover (instead of watching a hundred TikToks before I sleep) has been the biggest game changer. 1) Get off your phone early 2) Dim the lights and do some evening yoga/stretches 3) Read before bed.

Tell us about Seconds To Midnight (11:59)? What inspired it, and what does it represent for you?

Seconds To Midnight (11:59) was first drafted back in November 2021. It started out as a song called 11:59pm, inspired by a New Year’s Eve where I kind of got stood up right as the clocks struck midnight. A formative moment that stung at the time, but made for a great song later. Joe and I spent a long time shaping it into what it is now—clarifying the story, trying new sounds, until it captured that bittersweetness. As soon as you release a song, it's not really yours to decide what it means anymore. But Seconds to Midnight (11:59) felt like it gave people permission to let go. To feel whatever you need to feel to move forward. Now, when I think of the song, I don’t think about my story. Instead I see the faces of people singing it back to me on tour, the hands in the air, the jumping, the joy. For me, it represents freedom. Which really shows you the power of music given where it came from.

Do you have a favourite designer or go-to brand you love to wear when performing? 

I’m pretty casual when it comes to style, so onstage I try to go for an elevated street-wear look. For the tour, I was given some jeans by Levi's which my friend and I hand-painted with my logo. I loved those looks because I was so comfortable. I’m still working out what my onstage style is, but that’s kind of fun. Just trying everything out!

If you could manifest one music collaboration, who would it be and why?

I’ve kind of always said I wish I was cool enough to be on a song with Eminem. When I first started actively trying to find music I liked, Eminem was one of the first artists I listened to. This is what was my childhood iPod consisted of: Taylor Swift, Eminem, Avril Lavigne, Nickelback, Shania Twain, and All American Rejects, so I’m gonna say  if I got a collab with any of those artists, I’d be fulfilling my inner child's dreams.

When you’re not in the studio or performing, what does a perfect day off look like for you? 

A slooooow start. After a sleep in, a walk and a coffee, then some other form of workout, some songwriting, lie in the sun, catch up with a friend, and finish with a yum dinner and a movie. 

If you could go back and give 14-year-old Cassie one piece of advice, what would it be?

1. Don’t cut a side fringe.
2. Whatever happens, if you keep working hard and show up for yourself and your loved ones, it’ll all make sense eventually. 

What’s next for Cassie Henderson in 2025? 

We are gonna be releasing the third and final EP of my current project—The Chronicles of a Heart Broken—soon which is CRAZY. The reception of the Pink & Yellow Chapter EPs blew my mind, so I’m so excited for this final one. Other than that, hopefully find love, build a capsule wardrobe, floss, and learn to do the splits.