I bet you didn’t know that this album #Wildfire isn’t Rachel Platten’s first rodeo. This is her third studio album and it hits all the right notes musically. Chances are, you’ve sang along to a Rachel Platten song? She’s the powerhouse voice behind your Top 40 car karaoke go-to, the song that motivates while going for a run and after a really hard day, “Fight Song.” Yet, where did Rachel Platten get her start as an artist? Her 34 year old fighter spirit was born to Jewish parents Paul and Pamela Platten in Manhatten but was raised in Newton Centre, Massechusetts. She studied classical piano from age five and learned how to play guitar in high school.
She attended Trinity College where she was an active member of the all-female campus acapella group, the Trinitones. She graduated from college with a degree in International Relations but inspired by an experience singing back up for a friend’s band in Trinadad while studying abroad while performing for about 800,000, she decided that she had to pursue music full-time. From here, she moved to New York’s Greenwich Village performing with a cover band called Dayz of Wild. In 2012, she married Kevin Lezan in a Jewish ceremony.
Musically, her debut studio album Trust In Me was released in 2003. She is famous for calling her debut a collection of demoes. Her second album, Be Here was released on Rock Ridge Music in 2011. “1,000 ships,” the single off her 2011 album hit number 24 on the Billboard Top 40 chart. Following this, her songs began to become heavily demanded for use in television shows such as Pretty Little Liars as well as used as the theme song for the hit show Jane By Design, commericals such as the 2015 Ford commerical, and even film soundtracks such as The Good Guy.
On June 27, 2014, Platten debuted “Fight Song” on We Heart It as part of an artist spotlight. She is now signed to Columbia Records which began promotion of her as their artist by releasing “Fight Song” as her debut single in the spring of 2015. It went on to debut at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, and later peaked at number 6. As far as her fight, she’s slayed by shattering records by having two Top 40 hit singles both with “Fight Song” and “Stand by You,” which debuted at number 38 and peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Song by Song Review
“Stand By You”: The second single off this album that has gypsy vibes musically, and talks about unconditional love and loyalty between two friends or lovers.
“Hey Hey Hallelujah”: Featuring Top 40 favorite Andy Grammer, it’s my favorite track off the album because it not only has a fun, dancy almost churchy musical style but it references a woman who knows her power around the men who fall for her.
“Speechless”: A ballad that’s slow in tempo but heavy in its lyrical content about being blown away by someone as a person, yet they even have the power to “quiet your demons.”
“Beating Me Up”: The drum beat in this track is a lot like a war drum but echoes that of a heartbeat as this song lyrically discusses letting go of someone who was toxic to you, and how you must eradicate them from your heart to ever move on completely.
“Fight Song”: It’s an anthemic pop song set in midtempo, self-affirming in its lyrical content, and chances are you’ve not only already heard it but you played it when you needed a pick me up after a rough day.
“Better Place”: A song with Platten’s vocals and piano backtrack. It lyrically references moving on finally from that toxic lover mentioned in Beating Me Up.
“Lone Ranger”: Musically and lyrically, this is a hit for sure. Musically, it reminds me of a Shakira song. Lyrically, it talks about someone who suffers from trust issues and would rather be alone than get close to people.
“You Don’t Know My Heart”: Musically, it has EDM pop sounds paired with strong lyrics about being judged and declaring that this person doesn’t know the real you. #ThankYouRachelPlatten
“Angels In Chelsea”: Another favorite off the album biased because it’s co-written by Hot Chelle Rae band member Nash Overstreet. It’s optimistic in both its lyrical content and musically, it sounds much like a church choir would.
“Astronauts”: Another piano pop ballad mixed with EDM sounds, it reminds me of a Paula Abdul song during the chorus section. Platten vocally even sounds like a mix of Abdul and Christina Perri.
“Congratulations”: R&B from the first note, Platten’s vocals on this track slay because the way she announces her words, and the power in her voice really makes this track a power anthem in the most subtle way.
“Superman”: The track begins with just a heartbeat style drum beat and Platten’s vocals. You can really here the power Platten holds as a vocalist because she has such control over her voice and this track ends the album perfectly as perfect evidence of that.
Wildfire debuted at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. As of February 2016, she will head out on the Wildfire Tour to further promote her album. With her anthemic fight songs, Platten cemented her destiny as a star on the rise, and a hero in our hearts.
References:
The Smart Cookie Philes 