Cassandra Kubinski is an American

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...

artist, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her piano-driven blend of soulful, theatrically tinged music evocative of singer-songwriters like

Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Piano Man" after his Signature song, signature 1973 song Piano Man (song), of the same name, Joel has ha ...

Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter and musician renowned for her extensive contributions to popular music. She wrote or co-wrote 118 songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billbo ...

Sara Bareilles Sara Beth Bareilles ( ; born December 7, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actress. She has sold over three million albums and over 15 million singles in the United States. Bareilles has earned various accolades, including ...

and

Ingrid Michaelson Ingrid Ellen Michaelson (born December 8, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for her 2006 single "The Way I Am (Ingrid Michaelson song), The Way I Am" and her 2014 single "Girls Chase Boys", both of which achieved success ...

. Kubinski has collaborated on song releases or performances with the

Goo Goo Dolls The Goo Goo Dolls are an American rock band based in Buffalo, New York, composed of lead vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik, bassist and vocalist Robby Takac, as well as several rotating members since its formation in 1986. After starting ...

10,000 Maniacs 10,000 Maniacs are an American alternative rock band founded in 1981. They have released nine studio albums, six EPs, and five live albums. They achieved their most significant success between 1987 and 1993, when they released four albums that c ...

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Jill Sobule Jill Susan Sobule ( ; January 16, 1959 – May 1, 2025) was an American singer-songwriter best known for the 1995 single "I Kissed a Girl", and "Supermodel" from the soundtrack of the 1995 film ''Clueless''. Her folk-inflected compositions alte ...

, Caroline Jones,

Anna Nalick Anna Christine Nalick ( ; born March 30, 1984) is an American singer-songwriter. Her debut album, ''Wreck of the Day'', featuring her first radio hit, "Breathe (2 AM)", was released on April 19, 2005. Nalick left her label under Sony in 2009 a ...

and more. Her music has also been used in many TV shows, most notably 9 song placements on Lifetime's hit show ''

Dance Moms ''Dance Moms'' is an American reality television series that premiered on Lifetime (TV network), Lifetime on July 13, 2011. Created by Collins Avenue Productions, the show followed the training and careers of children in dance and show business ...

''.

Early life and education

Cassandra Kubinski grew up in Enfield CT, and then graduated from Florida State University with a BA in Theatre. She began her professional career as the lead role in the musical " Annie", at

Goodspeed Opera House Goodspeed Musicals is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theater and the creation of new works, located in East Haddam, Connecticut. Its landmark Goodspeed Opera House is a distinctive feature of ...

in East Haddam, Connecticut. Cassandra won the Straw Hat Award for Best Musical Actress in the show "Mirette", also at Goodspeed.

Career

In 2005, Kubinski launched her debut album Hiding Underneath (2005) setting her transition from Broadway/Musical Theater to pop singer songwriter. Kubinski's second album, Hold the Sun (2007), established her on the singer/songwriter scene in NYC, Germany, Jamaica and elsewhere, as she toured the US (Borders Books and Music national “Artist to Watch” 2008). Kubinski opened for the likes of

, Dickie Betts, and

Ingram Hill Ingram Hill is an American rock band from Memphis, Tennessee. As of , they have released five studio albums and two EPs. History Ingram Hill was formed in 2000 by Justin Moore (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Phil Bogard (lead guitar), Shea Sow ...

. Her music also started receiving radio airplay and placement on TV channels such as MTV, Lifetime, Food Network, Bravo as well as in films such as Dare, Red Hook, Life’s Passing Me By. Subsequently, Kubinski and

collaborated on the lyrics for the song "No Hard Feelings", as reference in Mr Joel's biography written by Fred Schruers. In 2009, the movie ''

Clear Blue Tuesday ''Clear Blue Tuesday'' is a 2009 musical film directed by Elizabeth Lucas. It premiered at the Quad Cinema in New York City on September 3, 2010. Plot Over the course of seven years, eleven New Yorkers affected by the events of September 11, 2001 ...

'', a rock movie/musical following the lives of 11 New York city residents in the 7 years post-9/11, was released. The movie featured Kubinski's work as a singer, songwriter and actress. The following year, Kubinski's work in Nashville was released in a double album feature entitled LIVE at Camp Nashville. Her 4th album, Just Being Myself (2014), was produced by

Edd Kalehoff Edward Woodley Kalehoff Jr. (born September 1, 1945) is an American television composer who specializes in compositions for television, known for his work on the Moog synthesizer. Kalehoff composed the musical themes to the game shows '' The Pr ...

, the composer/producer behind the music of

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, and artists like

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, and

Sarah Vaughn Sarah Lois Vaughan (, March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer and pianist. Nicknamed "Sassy" and "List of nicknames of jazz musicians, The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, ...

. The album was a collaboration with pop/jazz trumpeter

, who is featured on the track “Je T’aime”, and in the re-imagined version of

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her image reinventions and versatility across the entertainment industry, she is an influ ...

’s “Bad Romance.” Kubinski has used her songs to benefit numerous philanthropic causes, including autism spectrum disorder. One of her songs, ''Not So Different'', was re-recorded in collaboration with the Goo Goo Dolls and Mary Ramsey from 10,000 Maniacs, and the release show raised $25,000 for the Institute for Autism Research in upstate NY. Not So Different later appeared on Kubinski's EP Onward, which was her Billboard Heatseekers debut. Holiday Magic, Kubinski's 6th album, also hit the Billboard Heatseekers chart and featured 3 original holiday songs as well as re-imagined covers of Little Drummer Boy, Sleigh Ride (featuring Matt Cusson), and a mashup of

I'll Be Home for Christmas "I'll Be Home for Christmas" is a Christmas song written by the lyricist Kim Gannon and composer Walter Kent and recorded in 1943 by Bing Crosby, who scored a top ten hit with the song. Originally written to honor soldiers overseas who longed ...

and Homeward Bound. Kubinski was the bandleader and musical director for the first 2 seasons of Emmy-winning new media TV show, The Never Settle Show hosted by

Mario Armstrong Mario Armstrong is an American radio and television talk show host, entrepreneur, podcaster and public speaker. Armstrong appears regularly on the Today show, CNN, HLN, the American Urban Radio Networks and NPR's Morning Edition. His self-titled ...

. Kubinski's work as a voice-over actress is frequently heard on commercials and promos, for brands like Snickers (Superbowl Brady Bunch spot featuring Danny Trejo and Steve Buscemi), Tampax, Hershey's, and Nature Valley. She serves as Global Co-Chair of Membership for international music industry organization Women in Music.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Awards

2016 Women in Sync Award - Best Original Music in a TV Show

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kubinski, Cassandra Living people 1983 births American women pop singers People from Enfield, Connecticut Florida State University alumni 21st-century American women singers