bio
“Rachael’s voice is so soulful that it could inspire a tiger to chuff, an elephant to trumpet and whales to sing.”
“Rachael Yamagata...I just think she’s terrific.”
“Catchy and engaging, but consistently smart to boot.”
“Along with the badassery, Yamagata brings a world-weary passion to her singing. Her voice is a
soul-baring, sultry instrument that commands center stage at all times. She has that deliberate,
I’ll-sing-the-note-when-I’m-ready pacing that helped make Amy Winehouse great, and before her
Billie Holliday.”
“Like Screaming Jay Hawkins meeting Patsy Cline in a studio built by Sam Phillips and David
Gold with Daniel Lanois producing, Tightrope Walker is all soul-fever dreams and bittersweet
echoes, Yamagata’s breathy, sensuous vocals leading rumbling drums and swampy guitars,
ghostly keyboards, and sorcerer’s tones.”
Nickname = Yams
Her ‘troubadour of heartbreak’ songs are tonic for anyone who’s been run over by love.
She named her indie label after a walking fish.
Home is a cabin in the woods. She’s very good at yard work.
Favorite college course – Sociology of the Criminal Mind
Rufus Wainwright. Tom Waits. Rickie Lee Jones. Roberta Flack. Bonnie Raitt. Led Zeppelin. Cat Stevens. Stevie Wonder. Carole King. Feist. Kanye West.
Jaws vs. The Way We Were = tie.
Good with cats. Getting better with plants.
Japanese. German. Italian.
NY, Philly, D.C., Chicago and Venice Beach have all been home.
Early riser between 4 and 6am
Home Depot over shoe shopping
Hates the phone, but enjoys spreadsheets.
Stage fraught, but you’d never know it.
Once wore plastic bath mat flowers in her hair for a show at Madison Square Garden.
Celebrity crush = Bill Nighy and Bill Pullman
Favorite New Years – solo trip to the Dominican Republic (on an animal farm)…(the whole trip was not on an animal farm – just that night)
Once run down by a bull.
Videos – trapped in a glass box/ wandering a burned down hotel/ hanging out on a wasp infested boat/ being a bunny (in full bunny attire)/ being splashed by paint/ trying to dance/ Dance Goddess = Allison Janney
Dream video – in shark tank or on Shark Tank
Believes in love, loyalty and the lingering magic of music.