Pete Samson chats with LGBTQ+ folk artist Rachael Sage on her ethereal new single, ‘Just Enough,’ Pride Month celebrations, and the importance of offering an affirming message through her music in an often-demanding world…
You’re back with a radiant new single, “Just Enough” – the latest glimpse into your upcoming album, Canopy. What inspired this track?
I was inspired to write this song by a dear, longtime friend who also happens to be someone I dated many years ago. We’ve stayed close and care for each other unconditionally as friends, and it’s not “complicated”, versus anything but supportive and accepting. We can tell each other anything but there’s never any pressure. After a fun day of hanging out together I started writing essentially what became a broader love song, about friendship and unconditional love in whatever form.
The sheer action of choosing to love – entirely without judgment – is something I think has become more and more precious in this world and I hope that whether you’re relating to it in the context of romance, friendship or family, there’s something uplifting and that hearkens to a Woodstock “peace & love” kind of feeling. The wah guitar and the percussive groove was very intentional production-wise and I can’t wait for folks to see the video which is very vibrant and inclusive!
Known for your signature blend of Americana and folk, this song also carries a distinct vintage pop feel, much like the lead single “Canopy.” Does this hint at the overall musical direction of the album?
I love the expression “vintage pop” – and thank you for honing in on that! I often describe myself as “neo-retro” just as a person: my style along with my sensibility as a musician and visual artist. But I also try not to be so enamored with the past that I don’t also stay attuned to what’s happening now. On the new album I’ve made a lot of conscious choices merging vintage sounds with more modern sonics and ideas. I suppose that if you are exclusively playing live instruments and not programming with synths, that has become distinctly vintage to younger audiences…but hopefully the themes and lyrical content is as as firmly grounded in what’s happening right now, as the music may feel nostalgic.
“Just Enough” draws on everything from the lush harmonies of ’60s girl groups to the golden-era grooves of Van Morrison. What drew you to this particular mix of influences?
There’s a wholesomeness that I wanted capture in the sound of this recording, juxtaposed against a very open-to-interpretation innuendo as far as whether the listener chooses to interpret the lyric as sensual/romantic, more platonic or whatever. I love how the music of the 50’s & 60’s – which my Dad raised me on – did that so masterfully, and was definitely striving to write a “classic” upbeat love song…not the easiest genre for me generally! The piano ballads tend to come a lot more easily!
The single arrives just in time for Pride Month, celebrating love in all its forms. What’s one message you hope listeners take away from it?
Foremost, I hope when people listen to the song they hear the message that you, I, we are all “just enough” exactly as we are. I chose that title because it is so rare in life as we go through our days and encounter so much resistance at every turn, that we actually tell ourselves – and each other – “Hey, you are a perfectly wonderful human being, just as you are! You contain multitudes, and I love you!” So…That’s my main message: I am here to tell you that!! One of my favorite phrases is “I appreciate you” – I think it’s as important as “I love you” and maybe even more substantive. To really look at the special person/people in your life – or even yourself in the mirror – with gratitude, appreciation and total unconditional love is a very powerful thing, especially when we’re all bombarded with messaging on social media intended to make us feel less than or like we need to change ourselves to be more youthful, more attractive, thinner etc.. Also, I hope people wanna move, clap their hands and dance to it! I envisioned this as a “festival” song and it’s been fun to play it live along my tour and watch everyone tapping their feet & smiling!
As an LGBTQ+ artist, how do you plan to celebrate Pride this year?
I’m back home in NY for a bit this month before heading back out on the road, and thankfully there are SO many fun Pride-centric concerts, festivals and events in my region. There are family-friendly Pride events in my own neighborhood in the Hudson Valley with music and dance and food, and I am also playing a couple big shows in New York and New Jersey that will have definitively Pride-centric, “Love = Love” thematic repertoire (and costuming!); but the truth is that for me every day is Pride and I try to create that safe space and celebration of love and acceptance at all my shows so…I’d better really amp it up! 🙂
You’re currently on tour with your trio, The Sequins — what have been some standout moments or memorable performances so far?
We’ve had a wonderful few weeks of shows in the UK and some highlights include our kick-off single release show for “Canopy” at The Troubadour in London – where we were also joined by rising artists Maddox Jones and Kier – and a fabulous venue Prohibition Studios, which is both a fantastically-equipped multi-track studio, and a gorgeously decorated listening room with an intimate stage and beautiful lighting. We also especially love Fort-Five Vinyl in York which is a record store and lovely small venue with an Americana theme. We can’t wait to go back!
Your honest, heartfelt lyrics are often praised by fans and critics alike, and “Just Enough” is no exception – a reminder that we are enough just as we are, even in a demanding world. How important do you think it is to share affirming messages like this, especially in today’s climate?
I am of the mind that every single one of us has so much individual power to positively impact the loved-ones in our lives, or to uplift total strangers in our midst, when we have the opportunity to do so. I’m very fortunate that the way I primarily get to do this is via my music and lyrics and live performance. I like to thing that if I wasn’t able to do those things or to be a musician at all, I would still try to share affirming messages however I could. I think it’s just the way I’m wired maybe…and that only deepened after my cancer experience. There’s nothing like coming face to face with your mortality to strip away “the small stuff” and encourage you not to sweat it. I’ve always felt that we’re on this planet to ease each other’s burdens, to build each other up and try to leave this world better than we found it; but I’m no pollyanna – these are incredibly difficult, devisive and dangerous times but to some extent, they have always been for certain segments of society. This is a time when artists need to stay strong, resilient and focused and I’m continually learning from my very intelligent, talented and articulate peers in independent music how to do that better!
With the release of Canopy on the horizon, how are you feeling, and what are you doing to prepare?
I just nailed down a release date for the full album – October 24! – so yes, it is fast becoming “real”. I decided with this campaign to release half-dozen singles ahead of the full album which is new for me as I’ve usually only done a few so a sizable portion of the record will have been shared before the album comes out but I love that. Each song I consider to be genuinely stand-alone and merit that kind of focus – with an accompanying video, more insight as to its creation and so forth – will have it’s spotlight moment, and in that sense it also feels like an opportunity to dig a bit deeper into some of the aspects of music-making I think my listeners want to understand more. It’s more chances to create artwork for specific songs, for instance, which is always an area I get very involved in, as a painter and art director; for me, the visual and music are so interconnected! I have also created a whole new series of paintings that reflect this group of songs and will be integrating them into my physical packaging for the vinyl and cd, which I’m hard at work on as I write!
Beyond that, I’m gearing up for an extensive Summer/Fall tour, which will be sort of a festival that includes co-bills with other artists I very much admire, including Kristen Ford (whose new album was produced by Ani DiFranco), along with her fellow Righteous Babe Records artist Jocelyn Macenzie, among others. I’m starting to rehearse for these shows and folks can follow me on instagram and facebook to see more of what goes into all that, as well as behind the scenes for a few videos I’m making, for the various singles ahead of the album. Also, I’m trying to take some time now to see friends and family while I can as I’ll be touring solidly starting in July, through pretty much late Fall. It happens to be National Best Friend Day as I’m writing this, so I’ll be getting a few of my closest besties together tonight for a post-tour catchup dinner. My friends are the people who make me feel the most myself, the most understood and inspired. What better way is there to prepare for anything than to be among people you love?
Listen To ‘Just Enough’