Rachel Platten
Rachel Ashley Platten[1] (born May 20, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and author. After releasing two albums independently in 2003 and 2011, she signed with Columbia Records in 2015 and released her mainstream debut single, "Fight Song", which peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, topped charts in the United Kingdom, and peaked within the top ten of multiple charts worldwide. Platten won a Daytime Emmy Award for a live performance of the song on Good Morning America. Her major-label debut studio album, Wildfire (2016), was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and featured the follow-up singles "Stand by You" and "Better Place". Her second major-label album, Waves (2017), followed a year later.
Rachel Platten
- Singer
- songwriter
2002–present
2
- Vocals
- piano
- keyboards
- guitar
Outside of music Platten appeared as a model in clothing brand Aerie's advertising campaign in photos that have not been retouched.[2] She appeared on the cover of The Improper Bostonian magazine's May 2018 issue.[3] Platten has supported numerous charities, including, Music Unites, Ryan Seacrest Foundation, Autism Speaks, Los Angeles LGBT Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, BuildOn, and Live Below the Line.[4] She has worked with Musicians on Call since the early 2000s, and is part of a program where she sings bedside to hospital patients.[5] Platten has volunteered for over 50 Musicians On Call programs.[6] The organization honored Platten for her volunteer work with Music Heals Award at a benefit event on December 1, 2015.[7] Platten performed at Global Down Syndrome Foundation's virtual fashion show on November 14, 2020.[8]
Early life[edit]
Platten was born on May 20, 1981, in New York City to Paul and Pamela Platten,[9] but grew up in Newton Centre, Massachusetts, where she attended Mason-Rice Elementary School and Oak Hill Middle School.[10] Her mother is a therapist.[11] She was raised Jewish. She has a younger sister, Melanie.[12][13][14] Platten studied classical piano from the age of 5 and then took up guitar in high school. She attended Buckingham Browne and Nichols high school, where she sang in the school's singing group. At Trinity College, she was a member of the Trinity College Trinitones, the college's first all-female a cappella group.
As a part of a study abroad program, she went to Trinidad to do an internship at a diplomat's office and at a record label. While she was there, she sang backup for a friend's band in front of over 80,000 people at the International Soca Monarch finals in 2002.[11] According to Platten, from that moment on she knew she had to pursue music full-time.[15]
Platten graduated from Trinity College with a degree in political science in 2003.[16] She moved to New York City's Greenwich Village, recorded demos, and performed in a Prince and Sly and the Family Stone cover band called Dayz of Wild.[16][11] She worked several jobs, including as a waitress, a jingle writer, and an Estée Lauder salesperson.[16] She performed her solo music around the Village and eventually began touring the country.
Career[edit]
2011–2014: Be Here[edit]
Her first album, Be Here, was released from Rock Ridge Music in April 2011.[17] The single "1,000 Ships" peaked at number 24 on the US Billboard Adult Top 40 chart, also playing at various radio stations.[18] An earlier song, "Seven Weeks", was used for the film The Good Guy.[19] The theme song for ABC Family's Jane by Design, "Work of Art", was performed by Platten on hire.[20] Her song "Begin Again" was used in Freeform's teen drama television series Pretty Little Liars' 100th episode, "Miss Me x 100".[21] Her songs "Don't Care What Time It Is" was used in VH1's Basketball Wives and "You're Safe" was used in MTV's Finding Carter in September 2014. On June 27, 2014, Platten debuted "Fight Song" on the social networking website We Heart It as part of an artist spotlight.[22]
Personal life[edit]
On July 31, 2010, Platten married Kevin Lazan in a Jewish ceremony.[51] Their wedding pictures were featured in Southern New England Weddings magazine in 2010.[52] They have two daughters: Violet Skye, born on January 26, 2019, and Sophie Jo, born on September 9, 2021.[53][54][55][56] She has openly discussed experiencing postpartum depression after the births of her daughters.[57][58][43]
