Rachael Yamagata, the singer, songwriter and pianist, has released her second full-length album called "Elephants … Teeth Sinking Into Heart," and she's hopping on the bus for the Hotel Café Tour, which also features folk-rock singers Ingrid Michaelson and Meiko.
AVE: Tell me about your new CD that just came out.
RY: It's a double disk that's lyrically tied. It's about relationships, about love lost and found. The first nine tracks, which make up "Elephants," is balladry and the evolution of heartbreak. The last five tracks, which make up "Teeth Sinking Into Heart," digest the heart break and reclaims independence. It's gritty and raw, very live and passionate.
AVE: How did you become a part of the music industry?
RY: Very randomly actually. I have been writing songs for many years and playing piano since I was 12. I was in a band during college, but I pursued an acting career and got my degree in theater. I've always loved live music and really started concentrating on the writing part of music. Randomly, I ran into a friend who was doing some stuff on the side. After some unexpected twists, I'm really lucky that I caught attention.
AVE: Who are some of your big influences, and how would you classify your music?
RY: My influences are a lot of these classic singer-songwriters from the '70s. Poignant storytelling heartbreak is important to me. There's also this new rock side that we got down on the new CD. I like a real body of work like Ryan Adams, ballads and live-sounding rock songs. A lot of people have said that I'm a cross between Jeff Buckley and Roberta Flack.
AVE: What's next for you?
RY: A lot of touring and live performances. I'm already itching to start writing again for another record. It took four years to get this one out, so I'm very anxious to keep on a roll by the end of next year, I hope.
To learn more, check out www.rachaelyamagata.com and www.thehotelcafetour.com.
