Rachael Yamagata
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| Rachael Yamagata | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | September 23, 1977 |
| Genre(s) | Adult alternative Pop rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Piano Guitar Vocals |
| Label(s) | RCA Victor |
| Associated acts | Bumpus, Chantal Kreviazuk |
| Website | rachaelyamagata.com |
Rachael Yamagata (born September 23, 1977 in Arlington, Virginia) is an American singer-songwriter. She plays piano and has a dark, raspy alto.
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[edit] Early life
A child of divorced parents, Yamagata divided her time growing up between her Sansei Japanese American father, a Washington, D.C.-based attorney and Harvard graduate; and her Italian-German mother, an artist/painter in New York City. Yamagata graduated from the Holton-Arms School for Girls in Bethesda, Maryland, and attended Northwestern and Vassar.
[edit] Music career
[edit] Bumpus
Yamagata became the vocalist for the Chicago funk-fusion band Bumpus, spending six years writing and recording three albums with the band and touring the country. In 2001, after having written a number of songs that didn't fit with the funk style of the band, Yamagata decided to take the songs and launch a solo career. In September 2002, she landed a two-record deal with Arista's Private Music and her self-titled EP produced by Malcolm Burn, Rachael Yamagata Ep was released in October.
[edit] Solo career
Her first full-length album, Happenstance, followed in June 2004. It was produced by John Alagia (Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Ben Folds Five). "I Want You" features several members of prominent American Klezmer group The Klezmatics. Videos were made for the first and second singles "Worn Me Down" and "1963".
Her songs have featured on several TV shows, including How I Met Your Mother, ER , Nip/Tuck, Men in Trees, Alias, One Tree Hill, Brothers & Sisters and The O.C., to which she made a guest performance in season 2. Yamagata also contributed a song to Mandy Moore's 2007 album, Wild Hope.[1] She also toured with Moore, opening many of her shows around the country.
Yamagata's second studio album, yet untitled, was originally slated for release on late-summer of 2007.[2][3] However, by early 2008, her official site showed a message saying the album was still forthcoming. The site also featured a "teaser video" for the new album.
On May 22, 2008, a new banner was added to her site indicating the digital release of a new EP, Loose Ends, with three new songs, serving as a preview for the now delayed release of her second full-length album.
The 2005 film Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants features the song "Be Be Your Love". This song was also featured in a second-season episode of One Tree Hill ("The Trick Is to Keep Breathing").
The 2005 film Prime, starring Uma Thurman and Meryl Streep features Yamagata's song "I Wish You Love".
The 2005 film In Her Shoes, starring Cameron Diaz included the song "Collide".
The 2005 film Elizabethtown, starring Orlando Bloom and directed by Cameron Crowe features Yamagata's cover of Judee Sill's "Jesus Was A Cross Maker". Yamagata's version was the second used in the film, along with a version by The Hollies that appears in the opening sequence.
The 2006 film The Last Kiss, starring Zach Braff features the song "Reason Why".
The 2007 preview for the fifth season of the Showtime drama The L Word featured the song "Be Be Your Love."
The 2007 film Holiday in Handcuffs, starring Melissa Joan Hart featured the song "I Want You."
The 2008 series The L Word featured the song "The Other Side" in the 10th episode of the fifth season ("Lifecycle"). This song was later released in the Loose Ends EP in May 2008.
She also made an appearance in Jason Mraz's second album, singing a song with him called "Did You Get My Message?". She also sings on "Fireflies" and "The Believer" on Rhett Miller's solo CD, "Barfly" on Ray Lamontagne's Till the Sun Turns Black and "Let it Ride", "Cold Roses", and "Friends", on Ryan Adams' Cold Roses. She sings backup on six tracks on the Bright Eyes' album Cassadaga.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio album
- Happenstance (2004)
- Untitled second album (expected 2008)
[edit] EPs
- EP (2003)
- Live at the Loft & More (2005)
- Loose Ends (2008)
[edit] Singles
- "Worn Me Down"
- "Letter Read"
- "1963"
- "River"
[edit] Live/Compilations
- Japan 2005 Tour Sampler
- Live at the Bonnaroo Music Festival (2004), released exclusively on Bonnaroo
- Sony Connect Sets (2005), released exclusively on Sony Connect
- KCRW Sessions: Rachel Yamagata (2005), released exclusively on iTunes
- Napster session: Rachael Yamagata (2005), released exclusively on Napster
[edit] Bumpus
- Bumpus (1999)
- Steroscope (2001)
[edit] Other contributions
- Ryan Adams - Cold Roses (2005)
- Jason Mraz - "Did You Get My Message?" (2005)
- Chris Holmes - Blister of the Spotlight (2006)
- Rhett Miller - The Believer (2006)
- Bright Eyes - Four Winds (2007)
- Bright Eyes - Cassadaga (2007)
- Mandy Moore - Wild Hope (2007)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Rachael Yamagata at MySpace
- Rachael Yamagata at the Internet Movie Database
- Rachael Yamagata at TV.com
- Rachael Yamagata: Confessions on Happenstance
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