Today we’d like to introduce you to Casper T.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Music had always been a part of my life, but it wasn’t until high school, when I struggled to accept that I was gay, that I truly fell in love with not just music itself, but the artistry behind it. This was around 2011—I was a freshman, almost a sophomore. I knew who I was, but I wasn’t ready to accept it. Growing up in the South and being “different” wasn’t easy, but I refused to let that hold me back. Instead of being the quiet, withdrawn kid, I was loud, bold, and unapologetically myself. I had an alpha personality—sometimes to a fault—but that headstrong nature is what got me to where I am today.
I spent three years in the Belton Honea Path School Concert Choir, and in my senior year, I was placed in the Chamber Choir. I also took piano lessons and studied Radio Media Broadcasting at the Anderson Career & Technology Center. Before high school, I had already spent two years in middle school choir. Much of what I know about music I owe to my choir teacher and mentor, Dr. Keith Timms. I gave him hell during my time in choir, but he taught me invaluable lessons about music and the details that make it great.
It wasn’t until I started my Radio Media Broadcasting class that I began combining my love for singing with a passion for making my own music. Though I took the class for three years, I didn’t record in the studio until my final two months of high school. That’s when I recorded my first song, Where Did I Go Wrong, in a small booth, mixing it myself and uploading it to SoundCloud. I co-wrote it with my best friend Lauren, who also sang on the track. That song ignited something in me.
After that, I bought a cheap home recording setup and wrote and recorded 20 songs between 2014 and 2016. I recorded anywhere I could—my bedroom, Lauren’s house, even a Jack & Jill bathroom we used as a storage closet. The songs weren’t perfect, but they were raw, emotional, and real. Those three years were the start of something, but then life happened. I had to move out, pay bills, and put my dreams on hold.
That wasn’t the end of my artistry, though—I’ve always found ways to express myself. In late 2016, I started my career in public safety as a 911 dispatcher. Over time, I also worked as a jailer, police officer (briefly—it wasn’t for me), network administrator, and special events director. As special events director for the City of Easley, I rebranded and expanded our annual events, focusing heavily on music. I knew I was about to shake things up—and that was exactly what was needed. Growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone.
With that mindset, I secured sponsorships from iHeartRadio, Ingles Markets, and other local businesses. I brought in the pyrotechnicians behind Walt Disney World’s Happily Ever After fireworks show, worked with United Talent Agency and William Morris Endeavor, and booked artists like Colt Ford, Joe Lasher, and South Carolina’s own Ashland Craft and Edwin McCain for our Fourth of July festival. Over three years, the festival grew tremendously, culminating in a 2022 three-day music event that brought nearly 30,000 people to downtown Easley, as confirmed by third-party cell phone tracking data.
That was an incredible experience, but in the fall of 2022, I returned to dispatching. It wasn’t until the fall of 2023 that I felt music calling me back. I needed a way to release years of emotions I had bottled up, so I dove back in.
Now, I’m working on a new EP, set to release this fall. I am working with an incredible New York-based producer. I’ve also been accepted into Dark Horse Institute, a hands-on, award-winning music school just outside of Nashville. Dark Horse operates out of the legendary Dark Horse Recording Studio, where artists like Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, and Dolly Parton have crafted their talent. In fact, Taylor Swift recorded some of her debut album there.
I want to be an inspiration to those who feel like they can’t chase their dreams, or who feel like they don’t “fit in” —because I used to feel that way. But now? I’m going all in.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the biggest obstacles in my life has always been myself—a struggle that stems from giving up years ago and still lingers today, both as an artist and as a person. I’m a perfectionist, and that often holds me back. Thoughts like “I don’t write as well as others,” “I don’t sound the way I want on this song,” or “This song didn’t turn out how I planned” are all too familiar.
Back then, I used to upload my music to SoundCloud, and while some songs reached a few hundred plays, nothing ever really came of it. I started to believe I was a failure or just not good enough as an artist. I wasn’t happy with the songs I recorded—I felt like something was missing. It wasn’t until I got back into music that I realized what it was: I had never asked for help or sought out the right resources. Instead of pushing forward, I either gave up or released music that simply wasn’t ready. Looking back, I see now that if I had taken the time to learn, collaborate, and refine my craft, I might have gone further.
But I don’t regret any of those songs. I embrace them for what they are because they symbolize my journey—how I’ve grown not just as an artist, but in all aspects of my life.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
There’s something about my mind that even I don’t fully understand—nor do I want to dissect it. I believe everything happens for a reason. Whether good or bad in the moment, every experience leads to something greater down the line.
Music has always been my escape from reality. It’s not just sound to me—it’s a vision, an extension of who I am. The moment I think of a song, I immediately see and hear how it needs to come to life. I stay true to that vision because it captures the purest expression of my emotions, even in the rawest form. I build upon those ideas as much as possible, but I never compromise their authenticity.
I also thrive in chaos—maybe that’s why I’ve been a great 911 dispatcher for the past decade. That job is nothing but chaos, yet I handle it because people depend on me in their worst moments. I think that’s what makes me so raw. I’ve seen and heard things most would consider nightmares, but for me, it’s just another day at work. Over time, I’ve become numb to my own feelings, yet I still deeply feel for others. That compassion will always be a part of me.
With my music, I don’t just want to release my own emotions—I want to be a voice for others who look up to me now and those who will in the future. The lyrics, the composition, the visuals—it all plays a role in the art of music. One of the things I’m most proud of is still having the original audio exports of the songs I created as a teenager. One day, I hope to release them all.
This past February, I released an EP—Unfinished Business—under my own label, Casper Records. That project means the world to me because it represents the raw, unfiltered version of myself. What you hear is what I was able to accomplish at such a young age, and I’m proud of that.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
The best way to keep up with my journey is via social media right now on Instagram @therealcaspert and from there you will find a link to all my music and information you need to listen to my music, contact and support!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/caspertmusic
