Singer-songwriter and multimedia artist Rachael Sage's latest single/video "Cave" from her critically acclaimed album Character. Composed while she was a teenager, "Cave" was rediscovered by Sage during her 2018 recovery from cancer, while she was sifting through an old box of lyrics. Struck by how much more the song resonated for her so many years later, the stripped-down studio performance punctuated by Rachael's signature calligraphic handwriting and original artwork, underlining the complexities of emotional isolation during lock-down.
Rachael reveals: "I wrote this song while I was in college, where I fell hard for someone who was definitely not ultimately 'healthy' for me. It was a very formative experience and left me with a lingering fear of being manipulated or rejected for who I actually was. When I sing it now, the song reminds me to revere authenticity and honesty in all my relationships – and to fully embrace unconditional love."
Art-directed by Sage, directed by longtime collaborator Nick Clark, and animated by Daniela P. Solomon, the clip utilizes playful animation to bring her handwriting and signature squiggles and eyes to life, as though we are inside Sage's psyche. The result is a unique video that merges acoustic performance with an innovative approach to lyric video-making.
The songs on Character, originally composed as a meditation on gratitude in the midst of her own cancer recovery, have taken on new resonance during Covid-19 and recent protests against inequality, with themes woven through the album that reflect upon gratitude, optimism, and defiance - all which define what comprises character.
Since founding her own label MPress Records two decades ago, NYC-based alt-pop artist and multi-instrumentalist Rachael Sage has steadily released 14 albums of vibrant, dynamic music with poetic, image-rich lyrics spanning subjects as wide as her inspirations. Often designing her own album artwork, costumes and musical instruments, Sage has toured with an eclectic list of artists including Ani DiFranco, Beth Hart, Sarah McLachlan, Judy Collins and Howard Jones. Raised mainly on classical music, doo-wop, 70s folk and British pop, Sage possesses a rare combination of musical ingenuity, visual dynamism and emotional insight. Her songs are cinematic and beautiful, and her production layered, lush and laced with orchestral surprises.
Sage's latest album Character is a song cycle written while the beloved indie artist was recovering from endometrial cancer in 2018. Throughout the revelatory 12-song collection, Sage reflects on such concepts as gratitude, compassion, authenticity and optimism, questioning what comprises character – and lifting herself up in the process.
Website: rachaelsage.com
