Rachael Sage is a
singer,
songwriter, and
pianist. She was born in
Port Chester, NY, and has taught herself to play the
piano and
compuse music, starting at age four. By the age of five, she was already adding words to her songs. She soon started appearing in local
talent contests and
school assemblies. She attented the
School of American Ballet for a number of years, and took
drama classes and
voice lessons.
About her songwriting: "I write songs about everything: what I read in the newspaper, what's happening in my romantic--or unromantic life, a difficult situation a friend has confided to me...Basically, I'm a creative venus-flytrap."
About her style: "Basically, I guess my style is "art student-hippie-glam-chic", ha, ha! I love beads and rhinestones and cheap clothes that have a touch of theatricality. I make or decorate many of my clothes, and I don't really shop in one place; when I see something I love or could decorate, I just get it, I never really "go shopping"." In fact, she has stated that if she gave up her music, she might go into graphic design or making clothing, as both of them are also important to her. The style of hers is very present when she's playing live, as she makes sure to have various decorations up in the area, such as rainbow feather boas, and rarely appears without glitter somewhere visible on her.
She has been influenced by a large variety of artists and music styles, including the Indigo Girls, Elvis Costello, Me'shell Ndegeocello, and Carole King, and Irish, Middle Eastern,Russian music, with a significant influence from her Jewish upbringing.
She has won the ASCAP Pop Songwriting Contest twice, and was a finalist in the 1997 Discmakers Independent Music World Series. She won the Lilith Fair Talent Competiton, and played in the New Jersey Lilith Fair show. She has also won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and USA Songwriting Competition.
Her first album, "Morbid Romantic", has officially been recognized as the "best selling consignment recording ever" at Tower Records Downtown Manhattan.
She has also toured with Ani DiFranco, after Rachael sent her a copy of Smashing the Serene, and continues to play small clubs in the New York City area. Thanks to Ani's influence, she created her own label, MPress Records, in 1996, so she could take care of releasing her music herself.
In April 2002, Rachael released her fourth album, Illusion's Carnival. It was influenced by the September 11, 2001, events, and as she put it, "It is an album about staying hopeful, staying alive, staying passionate and most of all not losing sight about what is real to you in your life - whatever, whoever that might be." One song on the album, "Camera", is dedicated to Brandon Teena. She recorded it in New York City, near "ground zero" - near enough that the air quality in the area may be partially to blame for her catching pneumonia during the recording. And in May of 2002, she appeared on the cover of Female Musician magazine, prior to kicking off a tour of the US, where she has played mostly at small bars, clubs, a few bookstores, and assorted festivals, such as Halsted Markey Days in Chicago.
Discography:
1996 - Morbid Romantic
1998 - Smashing the Serene
2001 - Painting of a Painting
2002 - Illusion's Carnival
Bibliography:
All Music Guide, http://www.allmusic.com
Rachael Sage's Web Site, http://www.rachaelsage.com
WomanRock.com, http://www.womanrock.com/events/rachael_sage.html
The Female Musician Interview with Rachael Sage, http://www.femalemusician.com/may_02_rachaelsage.htm