Raven Clemons

      it doesn’t hurt single cover

Cassidi, an indie artist from upstate New York began her musical career at the age of 7. Today, the independent self-taught music producer and singer-songwriter take on a variety of genres from eclectic pop to alternative genres. The feelings she has experienced in her life; heartbreak, loss, happiness, and love are the inspirations for her music. She writes personal songs that fans can relate to.

The indie artist made a name for herself by producing and writing music and posting it to TikTok. In April 2021, her cover of “What’s My Name” by Rihanna went viral on TikTok when rendering the infamous song slowed down over a piano beat that she produced. Her cover quickly accumulated over 2.3 million views and became a TikTok sound for over 117,000 videos across the app. 

Her anticipated latest single, “it doesn’t hurt,” was released on August 5th, 2022. Cassidi teased the single ahead of its release to her 134,000 TikTok followers, receiving praise and hunger for the full song. Well, now the world has it. 

                             Jala Cooke

Cassidi produces the song in soft piano with a synth snapping beat. She marvels at her feelings regarding her recent breakup. The opening lines set the tone for the post-breakup song. 

I’d always knew you’d move fast / When I stopped calling you back / When I heard her name I knew that / For some reason you’re still mad at me / You know you couldn’t give me / The things that I was missing / 

When Cassidi stopped reaching out, her ex found someone else to entertain. Now, she understands she was settling for the bare minimum. 

Do you think that I am surprised you’re with the girl you fucked on the side? / Trying to get back at me / 

There was another girl in the picture during the relationship that Cassidi had uneasiness about. After the breakup, there is no surprise that this girl is now with her ex. 

Does she look at your phone when you search my name up? / ‘Cause I bet I started a fight / Does she ask about me and stories you make up? / ‘Cause I know that I’m not off your mind /

The thought of being the topic of a fight between the new girl and her ex crosses Cassidi’s mind.

          Aubree Estrella

The synth snapping beat stops as a single piano beat emerges to bring in the chorus. 

It doesn’t hurt me to lose you / There’s no world I would choose you / In another universe, you’d still put me through hell / 

Rather than feeling defeated, Cassidi isn’t allowing the breakup to get to her. Looking back on the relationship with her ex, she wouldn’t go back, even if she was in another world. 

I tried so hard not to outgrow you, come to think I hardly know you / Guess that’s why it doesn’t hurt to see you with her now / 

It doesn’t hurt Cassidi to see her former significant other with a new person because she hardly knows who they are after outgrowing them as they’re practically strangers again. 

It almost makes me sorry / When you watch all my stories

Is it a universal experience for exes to stalk Instagram Stories? If so, Cassidi experienced it. 

“it doesn’t hurt” captures the culmination of no longer feeling hurt towards an ex for moving on. It’s a reminder for anyone who has been bruised by a relationship that didn’t work out, one day, it will not hurt.