Exclusive Interview With Rachael Sage
1. Who is Rachael Sage? How would you describe yourself?
I would describe myself as an unshakably idealistic person who still believes that music, art and poetry can help repair this broken world. That, and a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer with a very strong penchant for things that sparkle!
2. Comparing with the current state of music industry, what were some pros and cons when you started pursuing your singing seriously?
In all honesty I find it difficult to think about pros and cons when I think about my decision to pursue music. I really had no choice, it was something I was compelled to do since a very young age and while the state of the music industry is certainly a challenge in many ways, I don’t think it was ever “a picnic” at any point in its relatively brief history. I feel like the music biz is basically the history of inexperienced artists getting screwed, and either growing a thicker skin or going crazy. Thankfully I fall into the former category and managed to also write songs about that growth process along the way!
I do remember feeling as a young person like I was constantly being rejected in one way or another, but in many ways that just made me more resilient. I wonder sometimes if we’d had social media when I was first starting out if I’d ever have had the time to focus as much as I did on actually writing, composing and practicing! In some ways I think it’s fantastic that it’s leveled the playing field, so to speak. But I also am grateful I was able to come up in a time when and hand-making flyers and calling people on the phone to invite them to your show was still a thing. I’ve never been averse to change though, so I can call most shifts I encounter “pros” once I learn to adapt!
3. Who is your role model?
I don’t know that I’ve ever had one role model, but I was lucky enough to be encouraged by and to learn from a handful of very accomplished musical trailblazers, along my journey. Just a handful would include: Sarah McLachlan, Ani DiFranco, John Lee Hooker Judy Collins, Marc Cohn, Eric Burdon, and Howard Jones. I’ve learned so much from each of these incredible writers/performers about music, and also about life – and am grateful for whatever fairy dust landed on me that gave me the opportunity to do so!
4. You’re about to release your 15th studio album ‘The Other Side.’ Looking back, how does it feel to be able to have such a vast discography?
I try not to look back too much…but when I do it’s a combination of amazement that it’s all gone by so fast, and eagerness to remain as creative and open as possible, since it’s very clear to me that I’ve just “scratched the surface” when it comes to all the kinds of records – and collaborations – I’d still like to explore!
5. What was your intention with your upcoming project ‘The Other Side’?
My intention is to uplift and encourage through songs that inspire hope, even amidst the day-to-day mental, emotional – and sometimes physical – struggles we’ve all faced over the last several years. In a way, all the songs on the album serve the premise that human beings have an irrefutable superpower to envision and then actually create a brighter future.
6. What does ‘the other side’ stand for in this instance?
It means many things! It means transcending obstacles, and it also means being willing to listen to another’s perspective, respectfully. It means accessing one’s spirituality in a way that may defy logic and intellectual understanding. It means imagining what it’s like to be the other, and letting that imagination fuel empathy…
7. Could you talk us through the recording process of ‘The Other Side’
I recorded the basic tracks – drums, piano, guitar – at a studio called
The Carriage House in Connecticut, with my band The Sequins. It was amazing to come together to record after so long apart during Covid, and capture that joy in a few days at a studio that’s become a second home for me through the years.
After the basics were done, I continued work on the record in Upstate NY at my home studio, which is a much more relaxed environment and one that allows for a lot of spontaneity. Between my tours with Howard Jones and Imelda May, I kept chipping away at the album – layering vocals, strings, horns, guitars, keyboards and various guest vocalists in including the amazing Howard Jones, on “I Made A Case”.
8. You’re on the road quite a lot, how do you stay grounded when you’re travelling from a city to a city?
I try to do yoga regularly, meditate, and find time to draw or paint (I carry a small bag of art supplies on the road which is crucial for my mental health!
9. How would you describe your fashion style?
Eclectic, boho, psychedelic, retro, sparkly, colorful…
10. What was your favourite fan interaction that you can remember?
When my music was on the TV show “Dance Moms” I met someone on YouTube who covered my songs on piano and it was pretty wild seeing how creatively he reinterpreted my arrangements. Hearing someone cover your music is a very humbling but also very flattering experience!
11. What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?
Make music you love, and the rest will follow!!
12. What are some do’t and don’t’s in your opinion?
Don’t take any of it for granted; being an artist is a privilege and it never costs anything to be gracious and appreciative of those who are working behind the scenes to ensure your show is a success!
13. What are your plans for the rest of the year?
I’ll be touring the UK again in August, and playing at some summer festivals which is always so much fun. Then I’ll be touring more of the US, as well as creating an acoustic album with stripped-down versions of my current album, The Other Side. Toward the very end of the year I hope to complete some new material, and perhaps even head back into the studio to capture it!
