Rachel Reinert
Rachel Reinert is a singer/songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee.
Reinert was the front woman of American country band Gloriana. After spending 9 years with the band, Reinert started her solo career and released her debut single “Cool” in 2018. Followed by her latest single “Dark Star”, the country singer/songwriter is showcasing her genuine musicality with a distinctive and atmospheric sound.
“Dark Star” was inspired by the struggles and fears that I had to face after leaving the band to pursue my solo career. I was so worried that I was going to be forgotten, or worse, remembered for things I didn't want to be remembered for,” says Reinert.
Signed to Green Iris Records and Still Working Music, the singer/songwriter is currently working on her debut album.
“Dark Star” is now available on major streaming platforms.
Introduce yourself - what’s your story?
My name is Rachel Reinert. I'm an artist based out of Nashville, Tennessee, but I grew up in Southern California. I have been in the music industry for the past 15 years - writing, touring, performing, recording, etc. I used to be in a country group called Gloriana, but decided to pursue my solo career about three years ago. I released my first solo single last year, just signed a new recording contract, and am working on finishing my debut album.
Do you remember the first time you realized music had a huge impact in your life?
Music has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. My first piece of music that I ever owned was a cassette tape of Sheryl Crow's "All I Wanna Do" - and I wore it out. I've been singing since I was 3, and knew that it would be what I wanted to do with my life since I was 5.
What did you grow up listening to?
Everything. Classic and Modern Rock, Country, Alternative, Oldies, Pop, Hip Hop, Classical, Show Tunes. My parents were so good about exposing me to all kinds of music, which has obviously had a huge impact on how I write and create my music. I was every bit a child of the 90's and the MTV era. I remember turning on Total Request Live every day after school, and I couldn't get enough. I think having that well-roundedness as a listener has been so influential in this new chapter of my musical career.
At what point did you decide to pursue music as a career?
I was attending performing arts school, and in my head I had already decided that I was going to pursue a career in musical theatre, with my goal to make it on Broadway in New York City. But somewhere along the way, I began writing poetry and playing the guitar. I started to write my own songs, and I really fell in love with that artistic expression. I saw John Mayer at the Irvine Amphitheater in California when I was a freshman in high school and it really just changed my entire outlook. I was so inspired. I wanted to do THAT. I wanted to write and perform my own music. So, I began demoing my songs with the help of some friends, ended up taking those songs out to Nashville, somehow landed a publishing deal at the age of 15, convinced my parents to let me finish high school through independent study, and moved to Nashville full time. The rest is history.
You are a former member of the band Gloriana. What biggest lessons have you learnt from the experiences with the band?
I learned SO much from that experience. I was extremely young (just 18 years old) and green when I joined on. I didn't know anything about touring, much less how to adjust my own microphone stand. I think the time I spent in the band taught me a lot about the music industry, and a lot about what I want and what I don't want. We had an amazing ride together for about 8 years, and I'm extremely grateful for everything I got to learn and grow from during that time in my life.
At what point did you decide to go solo? Was it an easy decision to make?
I initially moved to Nashville to pursue my solo career. So, I always knew in my heart that there would come a day that I just needed to step away and chase that original dream of mine. I was 26, about to be 27, and I just felt like it was a "now or never" type situation. I didn't want a safety net or a back up plan, so I walked away from everything. It was the biggest risk I had ever taken, because I was in a comfortable situation with everything I could ever want and need, but I wasn't being fulfilled or challenged anymore. I needed to find myself, and I needed to grow and be pushed. It wasn't an easy decision to make in some ways, because I had invested almost a decade of my life into all these people and I didn't want to hurt anyone or let anyone down. However, I needed to do this for the betterment of myself and I needed to find my joy, so from that aspect it was a no-brainer.
How’s it like to release music as a solo artist?
Amazing. So freeing. I was really nervous when my first song, "Cool" came out, just because I wasn't sure how people would react and it is so different from what I was doing before with Gloriana. But I received so much love and I'm so insanely proud of that song.
What’s the story behind your latest single, "Dark Star"?
“Dark Star” was inspired by the struggles and fears that I had to face after leaving the band to pursue my solo career. I was so worried that I was going to be forgotten, or worse, remembered for things I didn't want to be remembered for. I was also really struggling to get people to work with me, and to see me for me. I felt like I was free falling through the atmosphere at the time- However, I still remained optimistic/hopeful and needed to write this song as a reminder to myself that even in the darkest of times, I still have this light within me.
When did you start writing this song? Could you describe us the songwriting/production process? Who did you work with?
I worked with Joe Pisapia and KS Rhoads back in the spring of 2017 on this song. We just started discussing my struggles and fears and the song sort of fell out. At the time I was really into Neil Young's "Harvest Moon," so that was where we wanted to head musically. We carved out a really amazing/organic demo at Joe's studio, so when I went in to record the song with my producer, Davis Naish, we made sure to hold onto all of those special elements that happened on the day the song was written.
Who’s helping you build your artistry and your sound?
My producer, Davis Naish. I also write a vast majority of my songs with him, as well as my friend Melissa Fuller. There are many other writers that I have been blessed to work with in this chapter of my music career, but I would say that Davis and Melissa truly helped shape this sound into what it is. They understood that I wanted the songs to feel/sound personal and authentic to me, and that the musicality of it needed to be this organic blend of old and new sounds, that felt like Southern California in the 70's, and I think we really accomplished that.
What message do you want to convey through your music?
My truth.
Do you remember the first show you’ve ever performed as a solo artist?
I performed as a solo artist many times before joining Gloriana, but my first true show as a solo artist in this phase of my career was just last April. I wasn't sure how it was gonna go or how I'd feel because I spent my whole adult life performing as a member of a group, but it was actually so amazing and it felt so right.
What do you like the most about touring?
Performing. I am a performer at my core, and getting to make other people feel something is so special to me.
What’s the hardest part about being an artist? And what’s the best part?
The hardest part for me is patience. Everything moves very slowly in this business when you're building something new, so its hard for me to sit back and let go and let things happen as they should, but I'm learning to be better at that. The best part is putting the music out there after all the hard work, blood, sweat, and tears, and seeing it genuinely connect with other people.
What would be your definition of success?
My definition of success would be to pursue this dream of mine fully, maintaining myself and my authenticity, and to keep making a living out of it.
How do you want to be remembered for?
Creating great music that connects with others on a real level.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
If everyone just focused on gratitude, positivity, loving each other, giving back to others, and judging less. Also, dialing back the amount of time we all spend on social media, realizing that none of it is real and that life is not about vanity and "perfection."
What do you want to accomplish in this world?
I want to be able to create the best songs possible that make people feel something real, to know that they aren't alone in their human experience, and to spread love and positivity.
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