Hippie singer Rachel Sage combines music with art for soul-filled lyrics
Rachel Sage - Catch her at the Broward Center on April 27. (photo by Tom Moore).
By DMITRY RASHNITSOV
Folk-singer songwriter Rachel Sage has been performing music since she received a recording device as her Bat Mitzvah present. Since 1995, she’s put out nine albums, appeared on the Lilith Fair stage and received recognition from the Independent Music Awards. Sage’s intellect and ability to emphasize with her audiences is what makes this creature of feminist beauty such a strong voice among the cluttered music scene of today. Sage is performing at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday April 27 at the Broward Center for Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Avenue Fort Lauderdale. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at www.browardcenter.org. Sage spoke by phone to the Florida Agenda just before she was set to take the stage in Cleveland.
FA: I know you have a hectic schedule; thanks for calling in, how are you able to keep yourself so grounded while on the road?
RS: I don’t know that I do. I drink soy chai everyday, try to change ensembles two or three times a day so I can pretend I just woke up. I’m not a big nap taker. Caffeine and the prospect of playing on stage keeps it all together.
Tell me about your newest album Delancey Street.
Well, I was moving. I lived in the East Village (in New York City) for more than a decade and I have lots of stuff I needed to get rid of. Winter and spring-cleaning emotionally as well as literally. Its all about reevaluating choices, relations. The record is very grounded.
Who is Rachel Sage?
If I had the answer I wouldn’t need to do this. I am constantly figuring it out and changing. Someone who is sensitive to others. I’m pretty good at empathizing and being aware of how others experience their lives. I have the spirit of a Rabbi. I love not having the answers and being a devil’s advocate and finding out what the heck we are doing here.
The artwork on all of your album covers is beautiful. Do you think it’s important to convey the message of the album with the artwork?
Thanks for noticing. There is a lot of care and attention spent in using that creative limb to express myself. In another life I definitely think I would be a fashion designer, in another life I would have been an artist and yet in another life I would have done theater. I get lots of enjoyment in doing graphic design. People always come up to me and ask which album I recommend they listen to and I always say, what album cover do you like the most?
If you could have lived in any time period in the past, when would you have wanted to existed?
Most era’s must suck to be a woman. I admire many cultures, but I wouldn’t want to be around then. This past century is the place to be to let me do the things I want to do. I did wish I could have been around to see the ‘70s. I love the music of that time period. Love the place we were socio-politically.
What do you think of the current direction of pop music and the American Idol craze?
I don’t think it’s really that different than moments in the past. Look back at American Bandstand, although not as many genre’s are represented now. This is just another phase. I have seen three episodes when I was in a hotel group, and I can’t shut it off.
If you could form a woman supergroup with yourself and other singers, who would be in your band?
Carole King, Chrissie Hynde, Stevie Nicks and Laura Nyro.
What does the next decade hold for your label, MPRESS Records?
We just signed Seth Glier who is phenomenal. He is the next Billy Joel. I love being involved in other people’s projects. I definitely hope I’ll be running a hybrid performance hall with music and art all in one.
Rachel Sage is a free spirit who enjoys expressing through music and art. Catch her at the Broward Center on April 27. (photo by Tom Moore). Sage is performing for the first time in Fort Lauderdale.
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