Who is Casey?
Casey Garcia is a recording and performing artist and songwriter from Scarborough, Ontario, whose work is rooted in storytelling, self-discovery, and the pursuit of authentic self-acceptance. A natural entertainer from an early age, Casey grew up as the class clown—the kid who loved making people laugh, capturing attention, and finding creative ways to express himself. What began as a desire to entertain eventually evolved into a deeper understanding of music as a means of connection, reflection, and emotional expression.
Music entered Casey’s life at an early age when his mother, Fe, recognized his interest and enrolled him in music lessons. He began with classical piano and later taught himself guitar, developing a foundation in music theory that would eventually inform his approach to songwriting. For Casey, music was more than simply something to listen to or perform. It became a way to escape the noise in his own head, focus his energy, and make sense of the world around him.
During his early high school years, Casey began putting himself out into the world creatively, releasing rap covers on YouTube simply for the fun of it. As his confidence grew, so did his desire to explore writing and performance on his own terms. By his mid-teens, he had begun writing original lyrics and developing an interest in hip-hop, drawing inspiration from artists such as Lil Wayne, Drake, Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Kendrick Lamar. At 17, he released his debut mixtape, Genius Child LP, marking his first major step toward establishing himself as an independent artist.
One of the most transformative periods of Casey’s development came through spoken-word poetry. Around the age of 16, he began performing poetry and participating in Toronto’s spoken-word scene, an experience that unlocked an emotional depth he had not previously explored. Through poetry slams and live performances across the Greater Toronto Area, Casey learned to approach writing not only as a craft, but as a way of confronting his own emotions and connecting with the emotions of others. With the guidance of mentor and friend Patrick De Belen, he developed his voice as a writer and performer while discovering that the thing he loved doing could also genuinely resonate with other people.
That realization became an important part of Casey’s identity as an artist. His music is made for the people who have spent their lives feeling like the odd one out—the people who were never necessarily the last pick, but were rarely the first. It is for the stragglers, the coasters, the dreamers, and the misfits who have questioned whether there is a place for them exactly as they are.
At the core of Casey’s work is a personal journey from seeking acceptance from others to learning how to accept himself. His songs draw from lived experiences and personal reflection, transforming vulnerability into vivid narratives that explore identity, ambition, insecurity, belonging, and hope. Rather than presenting self-acceptance as something that happens overnight, Casey’s work reflects the ongoing process of becoming comfortable with who you are and finding the courage to pursue what makes you feel alive.
After stepping away from music for four years to attend culinary school and work in professional kitchens, Casey has returned to his first love with a broader perspective and a renewed sense of purpose. The experiences he gained outside of music have become part of the story he brings back into his art, allowing him to approach songwriting from a place of greater maturity, emotional awareness, and lived experience.
Today, Casey is focused on developing a new body of work and reconnecting with the live music community in Toronto. While his musical foundation is rooted in hip-hop, his evolving sound draws from a wide range of genres and influences, reflecting an artist who is more interested in honest expression than fitting neatly into a single category.
Casey’s ultimate goal extends beyond making music. He wants to help build a world in which people feel less dependent on external validation and more empowered to define their own worth. A world where being different is not something to overcome, and where no dream is considered too ambitious simply because someone else cannot see it.
His music is an invitation to anyone who has ever felt out of place to embrace the parts of themselves that make them unique, believe in the possibility of something greater, and keep moving toward whatever makes them feel most alive.
So whether you’re a straggler, a coaster, or a straight-up misfit—come ride with Casey.