An artist with an extraordinary voice and hundreds of performances under her belt, the reigning Music Newfoundland Pop Artist of the Year and 2020 ECMA nominee continues her journey into the pop world after releasing her award-winning EP in 2020.
Rachel Cousins has garnered placements on screen innumerable times, from the breakthrough single “Let Go” featured in Wynonna Earp, to the guitar laden “Hope to Bring” in the Citytv program Wedding Planners.
Rachel was recently named a Top 10 Finalist in this year’s edition of CBC’s “Searchlight” talent competition and participated in the nationally recognized and wildly success “Songs From Home” EP. Anchored by the legendary Alan Doyle, it featured Rachel’s “Song On the Record” and her 2020 was capped off by an appearance on a nationally broadcast New Year’s Eve event.
What’s your story as an artist?
As an artist, my story is that since I was a kid music was my form of communication and therapy. Growing up I dealt with mental health issues and once again music is what kept my head above water. I learned to write original music and play instruments and quickly fell in love with the recording studio.I recorded my first song in the studio when I was 12 and I left and was planning and excited to do it again. Once I started releasing music I realized what a gift I had as a singer and songwriter, because I had people I hadn’t even known telling me that my music and lyrics helped them through so much. Music has always made me feel less alone and I now know that that’s what we have the power to do as musicians, because music is a universal language. I now love performing on any stage as it’s where I feel most present and at home with myself, but I love writing and recording just as much, as it’s my way of telling my truths.
What do you want your music to communicate?
I want my music to communicate many things to my audience, but most importantly, that there’s always someone out there that’s with you. I know as an audience member who is also an artist, I listen to music based on my moods. When I’m going through something difficult I often listen to songs that I feel are relatable as it’s what’s comforting to me. I listen to upbeat pop music to make myself feel good. I want people all over the world to have my songs to listen to when they need something to feel related to or listened to.
What are some sources of inspiration for your storytelling?
It depends on the day or what I have going on at that time. I am inspired by love, or sadness. Sometimes I see other people and imagine a story for them that inspires me.These days I am inspired by strength and the ability to get through many difficult times.
Who is an artist that you look up to more than others today?
I look up to Billie Eilish the most out of all of my favourite artists. She’s so open about her struggle with mental health, but she also talks about her upbringing and how they weren’t a rich family who had it all and made it easy for her and her brother. I think that she’s very independent and home grown and down to either, and I love that she and her brother record in their childhood bedrooms and write together and she makes me believe that if they can do it, so can I.
What’s the record or artist that made you realize you wanted to be an artist?
I would say Avril Lavigne. I used to hide in my friend’s basement with her and listen to her music because there were curse words in it that I couldn’t listen to at home, I just loved listening to her cd’s on a CD player. I sang Skater Boy nonstop and I was 9-10 year old. She was the first artist that I really looked up to because of how cool she was and how cool her music made me feel at such a young age. I saw her in concert as a kid and I still remember her stage presence and how much of a firecracker she was. She really inspired my pop music even in recent years.
Tell us about your latest release and how it came about
My latest release is titled Love Language. Myself and my producer Daniel Adams co-wrote this song with a Finnish artist by the name of Topi Lattuka. We did this virtually in a songwriting camp that was set up by my publisher Cymba Publishing. I immediately loved the song and knew I had to demo it after the session. Once I demoed it Daniel took it and played around with production. Eventually we re-wrote some lyrics and did the final recording which was the most challenging vocal recording session I’ve ever done.Daniel made sure to push me a little out of my comfort zone for the better. I’m so happy with the way it came out along with the visuals and I got an incredible response from my audience. It’s a good idea of what my next album will sound like.
What inspires your sound?
I find inspiration in almost everything, but I’m a very visual person. I love looking at aesthetics or art work and creating a song with that feeling. I often have the colours and visuals of a song figured out in my head before it’s even recorded.
What’s your favorite tune of yours?
One of my favourite tunes is Summer Lovin. I don’t think I realized what a great song it was when I first released it, but it’s genuinely a song I would listen to even if it wasn’t my own. I essentially tracked it myself while in quarantine by recording it all in my room, and it was a big challenge and achievement for me. It’s such a fun song and it’s a favourite of a lot of my friends. I wish I had had the opportunity to perform it live, because I know it would have been just as much fun as what Let Go is for me.
Where are some things you really want to accomplish as an artist?
I really want to be an award winning artist. I dream of winning a VMA, performing on stages like the Grammys, making appliances on the Met Gala. All things that I told my mom I would do ever since I started watching big award shows. Aside from the recognition I really want to connect the music with people, I want them to feel the music and relate to the words.
Favorite lyric you ever wrote?
“You can turn it off, that doesn’t mean it’ll end”. This is a lyric from my song Hope To Bring, referencing the privilege that a lot of us hold to be able to turn off our phones, turn off the tv, etc. and ignore the news of things like wars. It doesn’t’ need to be a reality for a lot of us, however, just because we’re able to ignore these things, doesn’t mean it stops for those living through tragedies and horror like that. It always seems to catch the audience’s attention, and it’s a lyric that makes people think.
Was there ever a moment when you felt like giving up?
I went through a period of time before covid where I would really question my career path once a month. I still struggle with thoughts like this, but I’ve noticed more and more how open other artists are about these thoughts. We’re all our own worst enemy, and as artists we deal with an extremely difficult industry with a lot of pressure. Throughout covid I did a lot of self reflection and realized nothing makes me as happy or fulfilled as music does, so although sometimes I do feel as though I’m not strong enough for my craft, or like I should do something easier, I know it’s always worth it when it comes to the next release or performance.
What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
“Blowing out somebody else’s candle doesn’t make yours shine any brighter”. My mom taught me this, because I dealt with a lot of jealousy and envy of other artists, especially other girls, that had done more than me, or looked better than me. She let me know that envying someone else, or being jealous doesn’t help you at all. In fact, these negative feelings only ever affect you and stunt your growth. I now know to uplift everyone around me, encourage everyone, and only ever compete with myself.
Where do you think the next game changer will be in the music industry and entertainment scene?
I think the next big moment in music will be the downfall of genres, but also the downfall of material music and merch. Everything will eventually be streaming only, and artists will have to adapt and change our ways of earning like we always have. I can feel that genre is not as much of a term as it used to be. So many artists are releasing so many different vibes and elements on the one album now and I find it so inspiring and liberating.
