We Will Get There: An Interview With Musician, Actor and Activist Ryan Cassata
By Staff | July 19, 2026
Photo credit: Vicky Zamarripa
Ryan Cassata wears quite a few hats - award-winning singer-songwriter, actor, published writer, and outspoken transgender activist. With a list of accomplishments that actually takes some time to scroll through, it’s hard to pin him down into any one box. Yet, it is his activism that truly defines him - the support he gives to his own community is what he prizes the most, and frankly, is the most admirable. In this interview, we cover the influences on his songwriting, what drives his creative process, and what advice he might give a young person struggling with their own identity, and we think it’s worth reading.
You have a lot of accolades, almost too many to list - everything from appearing on major talk shows to speaking at the U. S. Capitol. Is there one specific thing you've been recognized for or accomplished that is the most personally meaningful to you?
The positive influence my music has had on my community is my most significant achievement. To me, no award could ever compare to that.
Has your journey as a transgender activist informed the songwriting and emotional core of your music, and if so, how?
My songwriting is profoundly influenced by my queer and trans identity. Given the current political climate, my work predominantly takes the form of protest music. Because the transgender community is so central to my life and heart, I feel a deep responsibility to create songs that provide a sense of hope for others.
How does last year's debut EP with Kill Rock Stars differ from your earlier material, and to what you ascribe the progression - simply growth as an artist, or something entirely different?
Lyrically and musically, this record represents a more mature direction for me. By collaborating with new producers, I was challenged to evolve as a musician, resulting in songs that are exceptionally honest and raw. A significant shift on this project is that I began writing from the perspective of someone living with chronic illness, exploring my personal journey with conditions like Lyme disease for the first time in my music.
Greetings from Echo Park weaves together folk punk, blues, and pop punk to tackle themes like anxiety, illness, and transphobia. What made you choose such wide-ranging genres to tell the particular stories you felt needed to be told?
I avoid restricting my songs/production to specific genres. Rather than forcing myself into genre boxes, I allow the creative process to remain organic, letting each individual song dictate its own direction based on what feels most natural. You could say, I’m trans-genre or genre-fluid.
Ryan Cassata and The D.I.Y. Guy - ticket link below
The music video for Daughter has clearly resonated with people, having millions of YouTube views and Spotify streams. What does the song mean to you, and what would you like listeners (and viewers) to take away from it?
The song is my honest story with my transition and my dad’s journey with it. I would like listeners to take away that trans people are human beings who deserve love and support. At the end of the day, I’m the same child I’ve always been, regardless of my gender transition.
Photo credit: @eevees
You’ve been recognized by The Advocate and won the 2023 Marcella Althaus-Reid Award for queering theology. How does your activism shape your approach to making music?
My music and activism cannot be separated. My music is a huge part of my activism. I write songs based on what inspires me and moves me.
In your film work, from starring in Two Eyes to winning Best Breakout Performance at the Victoria Independent Film Festival, how does acting differ from performing live music when it comes to expressing your identity, both as an artist and as a member of the trans community?
For me, acting feels like a form of art, especially when the role is playing a trans character. In Two Eyes, I played a trans musician, the story was different than my own, but there were a lot of parallels. It’s another form of expression and performance, just like music.
With The Top Surgeons, Atlanta
Modeling for Nike, TomboyX, and The New York Times while also being the youngest keynote speaker in Philadelphia Trans Health Conference history — how do you balance the demands of commercial brand work with a commitment to grassroots activism?
I don’t do much brand work the past few years. Most of the offers that I’ve gotten recently have been to promote AI. I don’t care how much money you offer me, I’m not going to promote AI. I will only promote the brands I believe in.
After years out there speaking up for the transgender community, is there one particular message of hope and acceptance you still feel is urgent for you to share publicly?
Throughout the 18 years that I’ve been out, I’ve seen the rise and fall of many different types of trans rights. I know that we will survive this time and political landscape, I know that trans rights will majorly rise again. We have to stay dedicated to the fight. Trans people have always existed, and will always exist. We are here to stay.
Photo credit: Asher Phoenix
If you had one message for a young trans person who might be struggling with societal attitudes and laws that are changing (and often not for the better), what would you like to tell them?
You are valid. Your identity is valid. Your experience is valid. Stay true, stay you. Myself and so many others are committed to the fight for equality. We will get there.
See Ryan on tour: https://www.ryancassata.com/tour
Official website: https://www.ryancassata.com/
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Cassata
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryancassata
Bandcamp: https://ryancassata.bandcamp.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RyanCassata