Rachael Yamagata

Yamagata was raised in both New York City, U.S. by her German-Italian mother and in Washington D.C, U.S. by her third-generation Japanese father, listening to the likes of Carole King, Roberta Flack and James Taylor. After studying French at Northwestern University, Illinois, U.S. in the mid 1990s Yamagata changed course and began studying Italian theatre at New York’s Vassar College. Later returning to Northwestern University she joined the theatre program and joined the band Bumpus.

After a tenure of six years with Bumpus, Yamagata had developed a small catalogue of songs not synonymous with the band’s sound and decided to launch a solo career. The songwriter landed a record deal with Arista’s Private Music in September 2002 and a self-titled EP was released a month later.

Yamagata’s debut album “Happenstance” hit the shelves in June 2004 and was produced by John Alagia at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas. Following the release, Yamagata toured with Mandy Moore and even contributed to Moore’s 2007 album “Wild Hope”.

In 2008 Yamagata released follow-up three-track EP “Loose Ends” and her sophomore album “Elephants… Teeth Sinking Into Heart” which represented a darker tone for the singer. Yamagata’s third studio album entitled “Chesapeake” was released through Frankenfish Records in 2011 and EP named “Heavyweight” in 2012.

Despite her album success and due to the pop-driven accessibility of Yamagat’s music, she has contributed extensively to fellow musician’s work as well as to TV and film. She has provided vocals on tracks by Jason Mraz’s, Rhett Miller, Toots & the Maytals, Ray Lamontagne and Bright Eyes, and had songs appeared on 30 Rock, The L Word, How I Met Your Mother and Grey’s Anatomy