Exclusive Interview: Cody Carrera Talks Baring His Soul on Debut Album, Shattered Signs & Deadly Sins

Singer-songwriter and actor Cody Carrera is baring his soul on his debut album, Shattered Signs & Deadly Sins. The body of work encapsulates all the pain, grief, excitement, and feelings he experienced in his 20s. His hope is that audiences and fans will listen to the album and feel less alone. Pop Culturalist had the pleasure of speaking with Cody about the release.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Cody: I joke that I’ve wanted to be a performer since I was in utero. Some of my earliest memories as a child are of music. It’s something that has always been there for me, in my happiest and saddest moments. It continues to be a rock in my life and a source of inspiration for me.

When all the other guys were playing football and baseball, I had my Hit Clips in the ’90s—these little disc-like things that played the chorus of a song. I was listening to my Britney Spears Hit Clip wanting to do what she does. When I got older, I performed in a musical at a local theater, and it fit me like a glove. I knew this is what I was supposed to be doing with my life.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Cody: I’ve said this multiple times as I’ve promoted my album—and I’ll continue to do so—but it’s always been strong women for me. Female pop singers are the biggest influence on me and my career. I look to men of the past like David Bowie and Freddie Mercury as inspiration, but women have really knocked men out of the park as far as pop singers and artistry go, at least for me.

There is no one above Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga. Their writing, their melodies, and their art is a well of inspiration for me. Some of my other inspirations are Cher and Britney Spears, obviously, as well as Madonna, Dua Lipa, Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, and women in a variety of genres like Björk, Laura Nyro, Billie Holiday, Eartha Kitt… the list goes on. In my humble opinion, women pay attention to details and emotions that men seem to not tap into.

PC: Your new album just came out on October 28th. What was the inspiration behind Shattered Signs & Deadly Sins and what do you hope to say as an artist?
Cody: My album was a five-year-long process. For a lot of artists, especially now, that isn’t very common in the streaming world we live in today, where you want to get songs and singles out as fast as possible and as many as you can. I released my first EP, Fire, in 2017 and my second EP, The “Witch” Chronicles, in 2018. After that I kept writing and had come up with two new songs, “False Advertisement” and “What Are We?”.

2019 ended up becoming the worst year of my life. My father was ill, and he passed away in December. I obviously took a break because my life just fell apart. During my grief, I wrote “Shattered”. I remember writing it during the time of his funeral in, like, ten minutes. Honestly, it was all a blur. Grief is something no one can prepare you for. It’s a bizarre feeling you can’t explain in words, and you don’t understand unless you’ve gone through it yourself. Like in every situation in my life, music and art really helped me through it.

Then in March 2020, the COVID pandemic lockdown happened. It felt like the world was grieving with me. So, after “Shattered” was finished, I looked at the new songs and my entire catalog, and when I stepped back and looked at the big picture and really listened to the material, I realized all the songs made a story. It made up the entirety of my 20s—my pain, my grief, my excitement, my relationships, and my feelings. It truly told a linear story.

So, I contacted J, the producer of the majority of the songs, and set up sessions and got to work. The album also has a theme from the first EP, where every song represents a Zodiac sign. In the dedication page, I say, “This album is for anyone who’s ever had their heart broken, been in pain, or felt different. You’re safe here. This is for you.” I want the listener to feel like I understand them. Even though this album is my story, each song lends itself to a personal interpretation of the listener’s experience. After they’re finished listening to the album, I want them to know that they aren’t alone. If I can do that with my art, then I’ve done my job.

PC: If you had to pick a song off Shattered Signs & Deadly Sins that best encompasses who you are as an artist, which would it be and why?
Cody: “False Advertisement”, which is also the first single off the album, is one of my favorite songs off the record. I love them all, and choosing a favorite is like choosing a favorite child, but “False Advertisement” would best be described as my confidence. The song is sexy, unapologetic, sarcastic, and smart. I’m private, but not usually a shy person by nature, except when I’m in a new situation or meet new people. “False Advertisement” says all the things I’ve always wanted to say, especially in the world of dating now, with Tinder and all the apps.

“Get in Line” is another song that says, “I’m not going to allow you to waste my time, so let’s just stop right here.” When J heard the rough cut of “False Advertisement” after I just sang it in the studio she said, “That’s gonna be nasty.” She was right. It’s nasty in all the best ways. It’s Janet Jackson “Nasty”. [laughs]

PC: How does Shattered Signs & Deadly Sins differentiate itself from your previous releases? How have you grown as an artist?
Cody: Well, this album is my debut album, and the material from the record is my entire catalog at this point. I’m an unsigned artist, and for my debut, I wanted to service the songs. I wanted to take the songs as far as they could go, and that included a lot of re-mixing and mastering and even re-recording some vocals—not a lot, but there was some re-recording.

I will say, I’ve grown exponentially in the past five years, and that is another reason this release took so long. I needed the songs to be up to standard to how I’ve grown as an artist. My vocal coach Heidi and I worked very diligently in the past three years. She also sang background on “Shattered”.

PC: In addition to being a singer-songwriter, you’re also an actor. What have you learned working on the stage and screen that you’ve been able to apply to your career in music?
Cody: What a great question! My skills as an actor absolutely influenced my skills as a singer/songwriter. I approach a song the same way I approach breaking down a script—I ask a lot of questions. “What’s the story I’m telling?”, “What do I want to say?” … stuff like that.

It’s also about being true to who you are as an artist. There’s only one of you. This is who you get. There’s no other Cody Carrera. In my career, I’ve had to do a lot—almost everything myself. My advice would be to anyone who wants to do this: don’t wait. Don’t wait for anyone to give you permission. I was born an artist, and no one is going to tell me when I can do it. I created this album on my terms. Part of the reason was I wasn’t getting acting jobs during COVID, and I was like, “I’m going to show them who I am as an artist. I’m going to create.” That’s who I am. I don’t need anyone to tell me I can do it. Also, raw honesty is needed in all facets of art.

PC: Actor-musicians have often said that there’s a different level of vulnerability that you have to tap into when you’re releasing your own music. Do you feel similarly? Is that ever a scary proposition?
Cody: Absolutely! When I’m acting, it’s vulnerable, of course, but I can hide behind the words on the page or the confines of the character or script. If you write your own songs, it’s soul-bearing. There’s no hiding behind anything. It’s your story or your feelings and experiences. These songs are my story. They were all written by me and all part of who I am as an artist.

A lot has been discussed about my album cover, which I actually find extremely funny. There’s a billboard in Midtown Atlanta and the company almost wanted to change the picture. Relatives have spoken to my mom about it. I find it so hilarious that it’s causing such a reaction.

Obviously, you can tell I’m very persnickety about my work. Fashion is a very important factor of my life—I love it. It’s another avenue of being an artist and expressing yourself. I thought about what the cover would look like for about a year. I asked myself, “What should I wear?”, “What do I want to say?”, and I came up with nothing. Then, it hit me like lightning: I need to be naked. I need to be completely unclothed. This is my debut record. I’m an independent artist. I wrote all these songs; this is my story. That’s true vulnerability. Music is completely soul-bearing and I’m bearing my soul.

I took inspiration from an Annie Leibovitz photo of Whoopi Goldberg. It’s a funny photo—she’s making a funny face in this bathtub of milk. I gave the photo to the photographer for reference, and we went off of that. It’s like a dark, gothic version of it. The milk bath plays into the title; I’m baptizing myself of my sins and I’m pure. There’s purity to music. Music is of God to me, and I take that responsibility very seriously. So, I’m naked in a bathtub of milk staring sensually into the camera saying, “Here I am. I cannot hide from your gaze. I cannot hide behind anything. This is the true Cody Carrera. What you see is what you get. And I’m not sorry.”

PC: As we look ahead to the rest of 2022 into 2023, what can fans expect from you?
Cody: I’ll be doing press for the album for the rest of the year and have a few exciting things coming out, so I’ve been preparing for that. I’m also taking some time for myself around the holidays to rest and actually enjoy the release. After five years, I can say I deserve that. I have a few gigs coming up, but I would like to perform this material live. Again, as an independent artist booking gigs for yourself is a whole different ballgame than planning an album release, so I have to look into that. I also audition when my agent sends me anything, so I’m available for anyone out there who is casting! I’m also always writing, so we’ll see where that takes me. I just follow the art.

To keep up with Cody, follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Photo Credit: Max Smith for MAXMIX Photography.