We recently connected with Rachel Lynn and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Rachel thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

My 2020 EP “Warmer” is still one of my most meaningful projects to date. I felt like I was getting closer to my authentic self and sound, hence the title, “Warmer,” and those songs are still some of my favorites to sing on stage. I released the project during such an uncertain time, when artists everywhere (myself included) were having full blown identity crises, trying to figure out the next step on the already unpredictable path of artistry — one that seemed to be deteriorating altogether with the loss of live music and other community outlets of expression. I took a leap of faith and dug deep into my online community to spread the word of the release and share these songs that felt so personal. The last single off of the EP, “She Tried to Drown Me” has garnered over 160k streams on Spotify, amassing 70k in its first week of release. I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish with this project, and now that I’m feeling even closer to that authentic self and sound, I can’t wait to share more music.

Rachel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

After studying vocal performance in college, I saved my pennies and moved to NYC to pursue music. I consistently gigged at various bars and clubs, eventually gearing up for my first release.

Debuting back in 2014 with my EP, To Street & Transfer, I was fortunate enough to be featured in several publications, including Huffington Post, PopMatters, and Baeble Music. The debut EP received nationwide radio support, as well as various sync licenses with major networks (A&E, Netflix, Discovery, Oxygen, Bravo, E!).

Following the EP release, I released the single and music video, “Seeing Red”; all the proceeds from this release went to the animal rights non-profit organization Mercy For Animals. “Seeing Red” was featured by numerous publications and social-media personalities, including Global Vegas, Vegan Lifestyle Magazine, The Vegan Zombie, HerCampus.com, and Vegan Lifestyle Association.

I’ve performed at various festivals including NACA Mid Atlantic, Red Gorilla Festival, Can I Live Music Festival, Coffee Music Festival NYC, and more. I’ve shared the stage with Sir Paul McCartney and AJR (Warner Bros.), among others, and I continue to tour regionally.

In 2019, I released several singles from the 2020 EP, WARMER, garnering exclusive support on The Women’s International Music Network, Substream Magazine, and Parade.com. WARMER’s final single, “She Tried to Drown Me”, has amassed over 160K streams, reaching over 70k streams in its first week. Offering a vulnerable take on the notion that womxn need to support and respect each other as a means to dismantle the archaic notions of the patriarchy, the song mourns the loss of a potential friendship at the hands of competition and mistrust. In an effort to fight these oppressive systems dictated and upheld by the patriarchy and white supremacy, half of the sales of the EP are being donated to The Audre Lorde Project, a NYC-based organization that provides resources to the Black Trans community.

In 2021, I honed a more soulful acoustically-driven sound with singles “When You Fall In”, “Where You Left Me”, and “Appreciate Me”, off of my latest EP, Appreciate Me, (11/12/21). As a method of passing the mic to marginalized voices, half of sales of the EP will be donated to G.L.I.T.S., a NYC-based organization that addresses immediate need/crisis support and healthcare access for transgender sex workers.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

When you’re starting out, gigging as often as possible is often romanticized. In reality, you want to build relationships with your community, with venues, and with fans, and that means being strategic about when and where you play out. As an independent artist funding shows and hiring musicians, it’s important to think effectively about how to use the resources I have, and gigging for a few patrons every two weeks was a great way to blow through those resources. I had to learn to say no when it made sense, and this allowed me to take on performance opportunities that offered forward motion in my career and/or substantial financial compensation.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

It’s so important to get the word out about artists you enjoy, admire, listen to, etc. Word of mouth and spreading information via social media is so essential for artists to build a following; otherwise, we’re all just screaming into the abyss. Talk to your community about the art you appreciate, share those artists’ posts, engage with them on social media, and go to shows!!! That ground level support is the most effective encouragement you can give your favorite creatives — and of course, buy their shit!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rachellynnsings.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachellynnsings
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/rachellynnsings
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-lynn-3490a126/
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/rachellynnsings
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@rachellynnsings

Image Credits
Matt Libassi, Jules Miranda