Alli Dempsey
On her newest single, “Average Man,” indie-soul singer Casii Stephan cuts through the egos of the men who seem to forget what the vow “in sickness and in health" truly means.
Stephan was inspired to write the song after watching Shania Twain’s 2022 documentary, “Not Just a Girl,” and hearing how her ex-husband cheated on her while she was suffering from Lyme disease. She was further pushed during a discussion with an oncology nurse about the topic, where she was told that it’s unfortunately common for men to leave their wives during their battles with cancer.
Through her cutting, vivid lyricism, she crafts an unwavering story of abandonment, disappointment, and female rage, channeling Carrie Underwood’s country classic “Before He Cheats” to champion above the hurt. Aside from voicing her anger and embarrassment that stemmed from her cheating partner, she questions how a woman’s value changes when she transitions from single life to living as a wife.
“I never saw myself being the ball and chain / I was the one they once all desired,” Stephan solemnly sings. She’s assessing how much of herself she sold to her man to fulfill his desires while he has found himself, as she cheekily states, “buried in somebody’s thighs” in return. Stephan’s layered, introspective storytelling contributes to a greater conversation about the transformative, uneven societal role a woman plays based on her marital status, while maintaining an upbeat and dynamic flow throughout the track.
