SLOW RISE:  Rachel Platte’s Fight Song took 14 months to make it to Billboard’s Hot 100.

By Geoffery Rowlands


It’s taken 13 years for American singer/songwriter Rachel Platten to finally become an overnight success.
Although she began studying piano at the age of five and took up the guitar in high school, Rachel intended to become a diplomat rather than a pop star. She graduated from the prestigious Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, with a degree in international relations.
“I’d always loved singing and playing music but only regarded it as a hobby,” explained 34-year-old Rachel. “I had my heart set on being a diplomat. I wanted to help bring people together and make the world a better place.”
Ironically, as part of Trinity’s study abroad programme, Rachel was doing an internship at a diplomat’s office in Trinidad when she realised her true vocation.
“I was also interning at a record label. I wanted to do this because I’d always had this crazy idea about a career in music. I knew it was foolish and diplomacy was what I was going to do but I wanted the fun and experience of interning at a record label while I was still young and the opportunity was available.
“A friend at the record label was competing in the International Soca Monarch finals during Carnival. His band was short of a keyboard player and backing singer. I volunteered to help. They had no-one else so I got the gig. There I was on stage for the first time in front of 80,000 people and it just felt like this moment of clarity when I knew what I was supposed to do with my life.”
Instead of the financial security offered by the diplomatic service, Rachel opted for the uncertainty of a career in music. With the help of some friends from college, she self-released her 2003 debut album, “Trust In Me.”
“We recorded the songs very quickly. The album was really a collection of demos rather than polished recordings. But it was something for me to build on and try to sell at my gigs.”
Those gigs were light years away from the 80,000 soca fans in Trinidad. She would often perform in the early hours of the morning to no more than a handful of sleepless people.
“It wasn’t too disheartening at first because I figured this was part of paying my dues in the music business. But the years passed and I didn’t seem to be making much progress. Some doubts began to creep into my mind about whether I’d made the right career choice.”
There seemed no reason why Rachel should not become a star. She had studied songwriting at Berkeley College of Music in Boston and reviews of her performances were always positive. But it was 2011 before the opportunity came for Rachel to record her second album, “Be Here.”
She co-wrote all but one of the ten tracks. Reviews were again positive but sales were few. Yet it seemed like more of those people who could influence an artist’s career were beginning to take notice. Rachel found a number of her songs used in films and television shows. Despite this, she was seriously considering giving up on her musical dream.
“That’s how I came to write Fight Song. I was thinking I might have to do something other than music but having those thoughts and asking myself if I should keep going effectively bred Fight Song. Yes, I was determined to stay in music. Even if I only had a small following, I was still able to reach them with the message in my songs.”
True to the rest of her career, Rachel had to wait a long time for Fight Song to become a hit. The track may have now found a place in the top ten on Billboard’s Hot 100 but it was initially released 14 months ago.
“Nothing much happened for quite a while. Then it was used on the soundtrack of the Pretty Little Liars TV show. I thought this was just what I needed for Fight Song to become a hit and it was, but not immediately.
“I was so upset. I thought it would instantly become huge. But then radio stations began playing Fight Song and it went top 100 on iTunes. Something else happened which put everything into perspective. A woman named Christine Luckenbaugh adopted Fight Song as her anthem.
“Christine had been in cancer remission for 15 years but the tumours had returned and she only had a short time to live. She heard my song and used it in communications with her friends saying her end was near but she felt strong and empowered.
“Her friends and family contacted me to say how my song had helped Christine. I arranged with them to learn Fight Song and we all joined together to give a surprise performance for Christine. Having that kind of experience and receiving messages from fans about how my songs have changed their lives really does make everything worthwhile.”



in
brief

Cilla Black

Many younger readers may have never heard of Cilla Black. But the 72-year-old singer, television presenter and actress, who died last week, was the second-most successful artist to emerge from the 1960s Merseybeat scene. Her 14 UK top 20 singles, including two chart-toppers, are surpassed only by The Beatles.
Yet her chart success played only a relatively small role in Cilla’s rise from part-time work as a cloakroom attendant at Liverpool’s Cavern Club to becoming the doyenne of Saturday night television in Britain. Her music stardom brought the initial offer of a BBC TV variety show, which ran from 1968 to 76. But it was the warmth of her personality which particularly endeared Cilla to viewers.
This led to numerous television shows, Surprise Surprise and Blind Date being the most popular, which culminated in 2013 with The One & Only Cilla Black, a tribute programme marking her 50 years in show business.
Cilla always described herself as a docker’s daughter from Liverpool and was loved by the public for her ordinariness. She was happily married to songwriter, and later her manager, Bobby Willis for 30 years before he died of cancer. They met when Cilla was working as a waitress in the Zodiac coffee bar.
Her songs can be found on YouTube. Anyone Who Had A Heart, You’re My World, Something Tells Me (Something’s Gonna Happen Tonight), Alfie and Step Inside Love were hugely popular but everything available is worth a listen.
Cilla’s home city is still in mourning. The flag flying over the Town Hall remains at half-mast. She had not lived in Liverpool for many years but often returned to see friends and family. One friend was guaranteed a laugh. Cilla had inadvertently given her coat to the wrong person during those cloakroom attendant days at the Cavern. Her first words were always, “Oh girl, I’m still looking for your coat.”

Sevendust

Atlanta rockers Sevendust have released Thank You as the lead single from their forthcoming 11th studio album, “Kill The Flaw.”
The band have always issued new music on a regular basis. Two years between albums has been their norm. But they are currently in a prolific period of creativity. “Kill The Flaw” is their third album in as many years. It will be released on October 2.
No video has been made as yet for Thank You but the official audio is posted at www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Qt3QbEzq7Q
Links to numerous other Sevendust songs and albums can be found on this webpage.

Project Pat

A new free mixtape has been released by rapper Project Pat.
As usual, the recording carries a parental advisory label. But any fans of gangsta rap should certainly enjoy the 18 tracks on “Pistol & A Scale.”
The mixtape can be heard and downloaded at www.datpiff.com/Project-Pat-Pistol-A-Scale-mixtape.724177.html