Rachael Sage

Rachael Sage is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, poet, and visual artist from Port Chester, New York. She is the founder of indie label MPress Records. Sage has released fourteen solo studio albums. Her performances combine music with between-song banter. Sage was named one of the Top 100 Independent Artists of the Past 15 Years by Performing Songwriter magazine. The New York Times describes Sage as "alternately channeling her inner Fanny Brice and Jewish Norah Jones".
Biography.
Early years.
Sage was born in Port Chester, New York. She studied drama and ballet before switching to music. A self-taught pianist, influenced by her parents' doo-wop and Beatles records, as well as Broadway cast albums, she created demos on a four-track recording system she received as a bat mitzvah present. During junior high school, Sage gained admission to the School of American Ballet. Sage graduated from Stanford University with a degree in drama. For one year, she was in the Actors Studio MFA program. Her performance in their New York talent search won her a place on the "Village Stage" of the 1999 Lilith Fair.
Career.
On April 23, 1996, Sage released her debut studio album, "Morbid Romantic", on her own record label, MPress Records.
For her song "Sacrifice" from the album "Ballads & Burlesque", Sage won Best Folk/Singer-Songwriter Song at The 4th Annual Independent Music Awards in 2005. "Brave Mistake" from the album "Delancey Street" was nominated for Best Story Song at The 10th Annual Independent Music Awards in 2011. In the same year, Sage won OutStanding Producer for her song "Hope's Outpost" at The 7th Annual OutMusic Awards.
Sage wrote an editorial about homeless youth in New York City for The Morton Report. In her editorial, she mentioned a collaboration of artists, unveiling an album, "New Arrivals Vol. 4: Artists Against Youth Homelessness", with proceeds going to the National Network for Youth.
Sage appears on "Both Sides Now: the Very Best of Judy Collins", performing a duet with Collins on the Neil Young song, "Helpless".
On May 20, 2016, Sage released her 12th studio album, "Choreographic", on MPress Records featuring some of the songs that she wrote to accompany dance competition routines for Maddie Ziegler.
On March 6, 2020, Sage released her 14th studio album, "Character". Described as an "inspirational tribute to survivorship", the album was written as Sage was recovering from endometrial cancer. She expressed the hope that "these songs honor just how resilient the human spirit can be, and remind us that sometimes it's ok to not be ok." The album reflects on themes such as compassion, gratitude, authenticity, optimism, mindfulness, forgiveness, vulnerability, and resilience, as well as issues surrounding codependence.
Sage regularly tours in North America and Europe and has shared stages with A Great Big World, Semi Precious Weapons, Sarah McLachlan, Judy Collins, Marc Cohn, The Animals, Jamie Cullum, and Ani DiFranco.
Sage's sound has been described as theatrical. Producer Phil Ramone said of working with Sage that he was reminded of collaborating with Bob Dylan and that "She has a very unusual way of treating a pop song. I admire her editorial and musical ability when it comes to crafting a tune."
Sage's paintings and collages have been shown in small galleries in Lower Manhattan, and she has also contributed original artwork to her own CD package designs.
Awards and nominations.
Sage has received numerous awards and nominations, which includes winning the John Lennon Songwriting Contest in 2001, three wins at The Great American Song Contest, and five wins at the Independent Music Awards.
MPress Records.
Rachael Sage started MPress Records in 1996 to release her own music. She currently serves as the label's president.