Rachel Grae released her first single of 2022 today, “How To Be Alone,” which cleverly explores how to cope with loneliness in a world where it seems like everyone is always doing something. This track follows the release of Rachel’s 2021 single, “Outsider,” and the two songs in succession tell a beautiful story of struggling to fit in with the status quo, but discovering that being alone can actually allow for comfort, growth, and healing.
“‘How To Be Alone’ is a self-love anthem,” Rachel explains. “I never realized that a lot of the sadness I experience comes from me relying on other people to make me happy.” Fans of Rachel’s “Outsider” release know how well she captured this feeling in that track, however she was not finished telling her story. “Once I started my self-love journey, it made me realize that being your own best friend is one of the most important things in life, and I finally started to learn how to really be alone.”
Rachel’s music stands out because of the authenticity behind it. Many artists sing about these topics, but Rachel openly lives her life like this. Followers of her TikTok are familiar with Rachel’s iconic solo videos alone in her car, bedroom, or anywhere private. She cultivates her artistic style alone, not looking for the approval of anyone except herself in that moment, and her ability to shut out the world and ignore negativity is what has allowed Rachel to simultaneously become so vulnerable yet confident.
Also announced today, Rachel will be featured on a TV show later this month, Becoming a Popstar, which will air on MTV. The first episode of the show, which is a collaboration between Viacom, TikTok, and Pepsi, will air on March 24, and will feature Rachel alongside a handful of other rising pop artists and three celebrity judges.
Rachel has been drawn to performing from a young age. She’s an inherently expressive person, and as she grew up, music became her primary outlet. Rachel can often be found musing over her notebook with a pen, masterfully composing her next lyrical epiphany. When she isn’t writing, Rachel is on her keyboard, practicing vocals in her kitchen, or recording her iconic ‘car covers’ for TikTok where she has amassed 250K followers in a matter of months.
Growing up in the outskirts of New York City, Rachel Grae dissected music like an archeologist — digging into lyrics, and turning over melodies. When she started writing her own music she set her intention with clarity, embracing imperfection as a means to investigate vulnerability in all its forms. Rachel points to Kelly Clarkson, Adele, and Demi Lovato as vocal inspirations, but she invokes the youthful energy of peers like Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, and Tate McRae through her songwriting. Uniquely, when Rachel Grae yearns to learn more about the world around her, she looks inwardly — reflecting on her past missteps and epiphanies to inform her next move. Her goal is clear: constructing songs that confront universal emotions as a compassionate act; making music that works on herself means that listeners start halfway to the finish line.
Watch our latest “Fastracks” video podcast to discover more new indie tracks.