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Rachael Sage: Music's Best-Kept Secret

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Rachael Sage: Music's Best-Kept Secret www.ExpressGayNews.com • July 28, 2003 Q1 Q_COVERstory Rachael Sage: Music’s Best-Kept Secret ‘Public Record’ May Finally Make Singer’s Talent Public Knowledge By Mary Damiano roots with “Beauty Fades.” shop.’ You learn a lot about how much you like-minded artists and folks out there, and Arts & Entertainment Editor Illusion’s Carnival was recorded in take for granted living in a big city like New I think that’s where it’s at, to find someone To listen to Rachael Sage’s voice is to New York City in the aftermath of the Sept. York.” who can relate and who can share that rather be seduced. Her breathy phrasing and 11 attacks, and the songs convey the mood Sage credits positive role models, than feeling upset by it.” hypnotic vocals hint at a mystical world and of the city. “I hope that Public Record is a including Ani DiFranco, for helping her be lure even the most jaded listener into a little less painful and internalized,” Sage forthright about the kind of person she wants Sage Advice trance—a dreamlike state filled with says. “It’s a little bit lighter, even though to be. “I think I’ve always taken it for Rachael Sage will be touring to support promise. that’s all relative. I keep trying to make that granted that I would be able to handle any Public Record, and plans to make a stop in Whether she’s singing on her own CDs happy record, and it comes out in moments. repercussions about being open about who South Florida later this year. She also plans or doing a compilation, like her cover of The I was happier making it.” I am, and I guess that still has to be proven on signing different artists to her label. But Doors’ “Twentieth Century Fox,” which she every day of your life.” Sage’s biggest goal is to keep evolving as contributed to Love Her Madly: New Women Drama Queen Sage’s workload of making music, an artist and break new ground. Artists Cover The Doors, or touring with Sage talks about making the happy touring, running her label and overseeing “I’d like to put out a record that heavyweights like Ani DiFranco, Sheryl record, but her songs have a flair for the dark every detail concerning her albums has surprises me every time I put it on,” she Crow, Eric Burdon, Melissa Ferrick, and dramatic side of life. As a child, Sage taken its toll on her personal life. She says. “I don’t think I’ve done that yet. I Suzanne Vega and The Pretenders, Rachael trained at The School of American Ballet and recently broke up with a special someone. think I did a little bit, on this record, but Sage is the music world’s best-kept secret. performed in classics like The Nutcracker “I feel lonely sometimes,” she says. “I seem I’d love to do that from start to finish. I But all that could change with her fifth and Coppélia. She was drawn to music at an to have a six-month maximum on don’t know how to do that, but I think it’s CD, Public Record, which will be released early age, and at the age of five, began relationships, when someone wakes up one about shooting that arrow really far from Aug. 5. Public Record is full of theatrical, teaching herself piano. She remembers a day and says, ‘Hmm, she’s not ever really where you’ve been and not knowing lush orchestrations, gorgeous, heartbreaking renegade accompanist at the ballet school going to take that vacation.’ But there are where it will land.” lyrics, jazz-infused riffs and improvisational who played Beatles songs with classical songs that are designed to capture the arrangements. Sage recalls playing the songs spontaneity of Sage live. In short, Public by ear until they kicked her out of the Record is daring in its originality and its building. During her teens, her musical tastes style, just the thing to get the native New shifted to songwriters, and she became Yorker the recognition she deserves. influenced by the work of Elvis Costello, In an interview, Rachael Sage is very Carole King, Laura Nyro, Sinead O’Connor different from the intense, poetically tortured and the Indigo Girls. singer one hears on her CDs. She is perky, Sage graduated from Stanford giggly and happy, the kind of down-to-earth University with a degree in drama and girl you’d want to hang out and catch a movie headed back to New York. But less than a with. year later, she dropped out of grad school at Not that Sage has much time for hanging the Actors Studio MFA Program and landed out. A graduate of the do-it-yourself school steady work in national commercial and of music, Sage is a singer, songwriter and voiceover campaigns. musician who’s followed in the footsteps of Sage has always found a way to support her mentor, self-starter Ani DiFranco. Sage herself with her creativity. Instead of getting formed her own label, Mpress Records, a mall job like most teens, Sage made when she was only 24, so that she could have barrettes and sold hand-painted jeans. Her complete creative control over her music. first paying gig was at a video production Sage writes her own music and lyrics, sings company, where she wrote the score for the and plays piano, and runs Mpress, all while National Girl Scouts’ promotional video. touring to support her CDs and connect with “My background is very focused on her audience. learning things to survive and make a living “I know how to have fun doing what doing things that are true to your heart and I’m doing,” Sage says. “That’s half the that you love,” Sage says. “I’ve always tried battle, to love your work.” to work in an area related to what I enjoy.” New Territory Out in the Open Sage believes that the main difference For Rachael Sage, honesty is the only between Public Record and Illusion’s way to go. She says she became aware of Carnival, her last CD, is that it displays the her bisexuality about 10 years ago, and has spontaneity of her live performances, lived openly ever since. something that she hasn’t tried to capture She believes that because she is an before in a studio recording. In fact, Sage independent artist, she has the freedom to composed one song, “What If,” on the spot be open about her sexuality, a luxury she in the recording studio, writing and recording feels other artists don’t have. the melody for the poem in one take. “I’m from New York, and that’s “I set up some time in the studio impacted my personality and my ability and schedule to do something that wasn’t really my approach to being open,” she says. new to me—I’ve been doing it live for a “You’re kind of in this bubble, and nothing couple of years,” she says. “I’ve never really fazes anyone. Sometimes I have this considered it valid as a track or a song. I rude awakening when I go to other parts of was interested in capturing a vibe.” the country, and I feel like, ‘Okay, this isn’t “Back to Freedom” was also done information I need to put out there at this improvisationally, and it shares its jazzy moment in this little town, sitting in this little “I know how to have fun doing what I’m doing,” Sage says. “That’s half the battle, to love your work.” —Rachael Sage Q2 www.ExpressGayNews.com • July 28, 2003 Q_THEATERreview Dear Diary: These Divas Are Delish New Musical Is a Tuneful Crowd-Pleaser By Mary Damiano Mercurio are melded with classic tunes to Arts & Entertainment Editor help set a time and place. The cast sings There’s something about big men doing and lip-synchs their numbers, with real drag in a big way that makes an audience singing reserved for original songs, and not just clap and laugh, but also cheer. lip-synching used for the classic tunes. The opening night audience for Diva The book, by performer Jem Jender, keeps Diaries, the new musical at Broward moments between songs pretty and witty. Center for the Performing Arts, was no The countless costumes by David C. different, greeting the cast of the show Paulin are colorful, outrageous and with you-go-girl cheers of encouragement deservedly over the top. The creative and hoots of delight. clutter of a vivid dressing room provides Diva Diaries is about three drag the perfect backdrop. queens—Clareen, Damsel and Randee— The performers excel in their roles. who are preparing for their last show at Altman brings real poignancy to his role Pandora’s Box, the club where they’ve of older Clareen, the mother hen of the worked together for 30 years. As they apply group. Kenney Green, as young Randee, their make-up, the performers reflect on the belts his heart out on several occasions. past, face an uncertain future and indulge Diva Diaries works because of its Diva Diaries runs through Aug. 3 at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 in some soul-searching and truth telling. honesty. You don’t have to be a man in SW 5th Ave., Fort Lauderdale. There are two shows each Friday, Saturday and Two actors play each of the characters, drag to relate to these characters, because Sunday night.
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