A Chat with Rachael Sage (14.09.23)
Playfully avoiding any simple categorisation, singer-songwriter Rachael Sage intricately weaves folk, pop, rock, blues and jazz into an inimitable sound. With experience as a trained ballet dancer, actor, and an, Sage is a masterful artist wrapped in a cuter-than-a-button visage. We spoke with Sage about her new album The Other Side, pet peeves, good advice and much more!
OSR: Cliché, but what drew you to music?
Sage: I was drawn from a very young age – roughly 2.5 years old – to my family’s living room piano. I started by playing only with one hand and soon I was tapping out melodies I’d heard in pre-ballet class and in nursery school and my folks were really scratching their heads going “What do we do with this kid?” Neither of them was musical but to their credit, they would encourage me and eventually, I came from the first Broadway show they took me to – Oklahoma – and I played the whole score on piano. I was around 4 and from then on it was crystal clear I was going to be a musician.
As far as what drew me to it, I can only say that it felt like a language in which I could express my emotions far more directly and more satisfyingly than English! Music became a relationship and I figured out very quickly that the more time I put into playing piano the more magic it revealed. Whether it was playing classical music by ear or mimicking songs I was hearing on Solid Gold, there was a sense that I was able to entertain others by doing something I intrinsically enjoyed. I haven’t looked back since!
OSR: What do you hope people take from your music?
Sage: I hope they take a sense of possibility and hope from my lyrics and music, along with the knowledge that each of us has something unique and beneficial to offer to this world. Every person is a universe, and of course, we are all connected!
OSR: What does music mean to you?
Sage: Music means the opportunity to listen and to respond thoughtfully through creativity, and the beauty of shared experience.
OSR: Does your new album The Other Side have a theme or backstory? What can you tell us about it?
Sage: The overarching theme is duality; whether I’m singing about life and death, being close vs. separated, peace vs. war, or being on the other side of an obstacle that’s held you back, the story of the album is one of resilience and triumph!
OSR: If you could change anything about The Other Side, what would it be and why?
Sage: I would consider calling the album No Regrets. The older I get and the more I’ve been through the more deeply I identify with this philosophy! It’s also become my favourite song to play on the record, as I co-wrote it with my dear Dad.
OSR: How would you describe your music and The Other Side?
Sage: I would describe my music as Americana-pop or alt-folk-pop. This album features my longtime band The Sequins but also some special guests including fantastic guitarists Jack Petruzzelli (Rufus Wainwright) and James Mastro (Ian Hunter). Musically speaking, I think in some ways I’ve embraced my Mom’s Southern roots a bit more and a lot of the songs have a rootsier feel than my past work.
OSR: Do you have any pet peeves?
Sage: Bathroom humour, people who complain constantly, highly critical people. That’s about it! I’m a lover, not a fighter.
OSR: If you could spend the day with any person (not necessarily a musician), who would it be and why?
Sage: I would love to spend a day with Frida Kahlo. In addition to being the most extraordinary painter, she was an incredibly courageous, insightful, fascinating and trailblazing human being. I didn’t learn about her until people started comparing me to her constantly because of the flowers I wear in my hair; but once I learned more about her life challenges, I identified a lot with her and she was a huge inspiration to me while I was going through my cancer treatment. If she could paint in the hospital every day I could likewise keep creating during my recovery, even if I only wrote a few lines a week or made one brush stroke a day on a canvas. I would’ve loved to have witnessed her intensity in person, and just basked in her soulful, substantive beauty for a little while!
OSR: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Sage: “When you are depressed, try doing something nice for someone else.”
OSR: Do you have future plans as a musician?
Sage: I will be completing a reimagined acoustic album early next year called Another Side, and heading back on tour in the UK in March! We’ll be announcing those shows very soon!!
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
Sage: I may not have ever met you, but I get a very strong creative energy from you through the ether! I hope you’ll keep singing, dancing, painting, cooking, writing, playing and filming because the world needs your unique perspective now more than ever! That, and try to get more sleep.
Many thanks to Rachael Sage for speaking with us. Find out more about Rachael Sage on her official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
