Rachael Yamagata
Rachael Yamagata on stage in 2008
Rachael Yamagata on stage in 2008
Background information
Born (1977-09-23) September 23, 1977
Arlington, Virginia, United States
GenresAdult alternative, indie
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Piano, guitar, vocals
LabelsRCA Victor, Warner Bros., Frankenfish/Megaforce
Formerly ofBumpus
Websitewww.rachaelyamagata.com

Rachael Amanda Yamagata[1] (born September 23, 1977)[2] is an American singer-songwriter and pianist from Arlington, Virginia. She began her musical career with the band Bumpus before becoming a solo artist and releasing five EPs and four studio albums. Her songs have appeared on numerous television shows and she has collaborated with Jason Mraz, Rhett Miller, Bright Eyes, Ryan Adams, Toots and the Maytals and Ray Lamontagne.[3][4]

Early life and education

Yamagata was born to a Japanese American father and an Italian-German mother. She graduated from the Holton-Arms School[5] and attended Northwestern University and Vassar College.[6][7]

Career

Yamagata became the vocalist for the Chicago group Bumpus and spent six years touring, writing and recording with the band before leaving in 2001 to begin a solo career. In September 2002, she obtained a two-record deal with Arista's Private Music and her self-titled EP produced by Malcolm Burn, Rachael Yamagata EP was released in October.[8] Her first full-length album, Happenstance, followed in 2004. The album was produced by John Alagía at Compass Point Studios. Between 2003 and 2005, Yamagata played venues such as Amoeba Records[9] and The Hotel Café, both in Hollywood.

Yamagata was featured on the album True Love by Toots and the Maytals, which won the Grammy Award in 2004 for Best Reggae Album, and showcased many notable musicians including Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Trey Anastasio, Gwen Stefani / No Doubt, Ben Harper, Bonnie Raitt, Manu Chao, The Roots, Ryan Adams, Keith Richards, Toots Hibbert, Paul Douglas, Jackie Jackson, Ken Boothe, and The Skatalites.[10]

Yamagata toured with Mandy Moore and contributed a song to Moore's 2007 album, Wild Hope.[11]

In May 2008, Yamagata released a three-song EP, Loose Ends. Her second full-length album Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart was released in October 2008.[12] Billboard characterized the album as much darker and sadder in tone than its predecessor.[13] That month, her two-song live acoustic video performance appeared on LiveDaily Sessions and featured the songs "Faster" and "Sunday Afternoon".[14] In April 2009, Yamagata performed her song "Elephants" on the television drama One Life to Live.[15]

Yamagata digitally released a new album in the fall of 2011 through Pledgemusic. Her third studio album Chesapeake was released through Frankenfish Records in October 2011.[16] In 2012 Yamagata released her next EP called Heavyweight.[17] Yamagata has appeared numerous times as a guest vocalist for other artists including: Jason Mraz's "Did You Get My Message?", "Fireflies" and "The Believer" by Rhett Miller, on Toots & the Maytals's album True Love, the song "Barfly" by Ray Lamontagne, and several songs on Ryan Adams' Cold Roses album. She contributed vocals to six songs on the Bright Eyes album Cassadaga.[18] Yamagata contributed writing, keyboards and vocals to the song "Kaleidoscope" by Jill Cunniff a former member of Luscious Jackson. Yamagata also performs with an ensemble cast on the 30 Rock episode "Kidney Now!"[19] The soundtrack for the film Dear John features the song "You Take My Troubles Away", Yamagata's duet with Dan Wilson. She also performs the Muppets song "I'm Going to Go Back There Someday" on a cover album, Muppets: The Green Album.[20]

Yamagata again partnered with PledgeMusic for her album Tightrope Walker, released on September 23, 2016. She also offered an acoustic digital version of Happenstance as a pledge reward.[21]

Personal life

Yamagata has a twin brother, Benji.[3] Her half brother, Josh Ruben, is an actor and director who worked for CollegeHumor.[22]

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
KOR
[23]		 US
[24]
Happenstance 40 —
Elephants...Teeth Sinking into Heart —[lower-alpha 1] 53
Chesapeake
  • Released: October 11, 2011
  • Label: Frankenfish
 13 122
Acoustic Happenstance
  • Released: April 23, 2016
  • Label: Sony Music
 47 —
Tightrope Walker
  • Released: September 23, 2016
  • Label: Frankenfish
 32 —

Compilation albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
KOR
[23]
The Very Best of Rachael Yamagata 67

Extended plays

Title Album details Peak chart positions
KOR
[23]
EP —
Live at the Loft & More
  • Released: January 26, 2005
  • Label: BMG
 —
Loose Ends
  • Released: May 22, 2008
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
 —
Heavyweight EP
  • Released: November 20, 2012
  • Label: Frankenfish
 44
Porch Songs EP
  • Released: October 12, 2018
  • Label: Sony Music
 91

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album
KOR
[26]		 KOR
Intl.
[27]		 US
Adult
[28]
"Worn Me Down" 2003 — — 33 EP
"Letter Read" 2004 — — — Happenstance
"1963" — — —
"Be Be Your Love" 26 1 —
"River" 2005 — — — Live at the Loft & More
"Elephants" 2008 — — — Elephants...Teeth Sinking into Heart
"Faster" — — —
"Sunday Afternoon" — — —
"Starlight" 2011 — — — Chesapeake
"Even If I Don't" — — —
"You Won't Let Me" — 12 —
"Nothing Gets By Here" 2012 — 6 — Heavyweight EP
"I'm Not in Love"
(10cc cover)		 2014 — 28 — The Very Best of Rachael Yamagata
"Nobody" 2016 — — — Tightrope Walker
"Over" — — —
"Let Me Be Your Girl" — — —
"Be Somebody's Love" 2018 — — — Porch Songs EP
"It's Always the Little Things"[33]
(with Guo Ding)		 — — — Non-album single

Original soundtrack contributions

Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album
KOR
Intl.
[27]
"I Wish You Love"[34] 2005 — Prime OST
"Jesus Was a Cross Maker"[35]
(Judee Sill cover)		 2005 — Elizabethtown OST
"He Needs a Kidney"[36]
(with various artists) (from 30 Rock)		 2009 — Non-album single
"Hand of God" 2012 — That's What She Said OST
"Let's Begin Again"[37]
(with John Medeski) (Robert Altman cover)		 2014 — Altman OST
"Something in the Rain"[38] 2018 10 Something in the Rain OST
"La La La"[38] 31
"No Direction"[39] 2019 — One Spring Night OST
"Is It You"[40] —
"We Could Still Be Happy"[41] —

Other soundtrack appearances

Yamagata's songs have appeared in a number of films and television shows. These include:[42]

Title Year Media
"1963" 2005 Monster-in-Law
2015 November Rule
"Be Be Your Love" 2004 One Tree Hill
2005 The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
2005 Trust the Man
2006 Brothers & Sisters
2009 So You Think You Can Dance
2011
2012 Wilsberg
"Be Somebody's Love"[38] 2018 Something in the Rain
"Blister of the Spotlight"
(with Ashtar Command)		 2008 Ugly Betty
"Brown Eyes" 2009 Grey's Anatomy
"Collide" 2005 In Her Shoes
"Don't" 2009 Private Practice
"Duet" 2008 Brothers & Sisters
2009 Grey's Anatomy
"Elephants" 2009 One Life to Live
2010 Gravity
2015 The Vampire Diaries
"Horizon" 2009 One Tree Hill
"I Don't Want to Be Your Mother" 2012 Hope Springs
"I Want You" 2006 Men in Trees
"I'll Find a Way" 2005 ER
"Keep Going" 2015 The Vampire Diaries
"Meet Me by the Water" 2006 Bella
"The Other Side" 2008 The L Word
"Paper Doll" 2005 Trust the Man
"Quiet" 2006 How I Met Your Mother
2023 Ted Lasso
"The Reason Why" 2004 Smallville
2005 The O.C.
2008 Cashmere Mafia
2009 Hotel for Dogs
2009 Brain Drain
"Saturday Morning" 2020 Scare Me
"Sunday Afternoon" 2010 One Tree Hill
"The Way It Seems to Go" 2013 Lucky Them
"Worn Me Down" 2003 Miss Match
2004 The O.C.

Notes

  1. ↑ Elephants...Teeth Sinking into Heart did not enter the Gaon Album Chart, but it peaked at #33 on the component international album chart.[25]

References

  1. ↑ "BABY COME FIND ME AT CHRISTMAS". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Rachael Yamagata". BBC Music. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Garcia, Cathy Rose A. (March 31, 2009). "Singer Rachael Yamagata to Take Stage for First Time in Seoul". The Korea Times. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
  4. ↑ Jenkins, Mark (October 28, 2011), "Rachael Yamagata: Album review: "Chesapeake"", Washington Post, archived from the original on February 17, 2013
  5. ↑ "Singer Rachael Yamagata on the Perks of Being an Independent Artist". November 6, 2015.
  6. ↑ Notable Alumni, School of Communication Archived August 21, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, Communication.northwestern.edu
  7. ↑ "Vassar Hub". Archived from the original on August 29, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  8. ↑ Earl Dittman (November 11, 2015). "Rachael Yamagata recounts her journey to musical independence". Digital Journal. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Rachel Yamagata - Live at Amoeba Music". Archived from the original on October 7, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Toots and the Maytals - In Depth - Linear Notes". Toots and the Maytals. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Mandy Moore's 'Wild Hope' Set for May Release". KEYT3 Santa Barbara. February 8, 2007. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart - Rachael Yamagata". AllMusic.com. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  13. ↑ Peters, Mitchell (February 22, 2007). "Yamagata Wraps 'Darker, Grittier' New Album". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Rachael Yamagata: Exclusive Video Performance At LiveDaily Sessions". LiveDaily Sessions. Archived from the original on October 10, 2008. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  15. ↑ "One Life to Live News". SOAPnet.com. March 2009. Archived from the original on August 7, 2009. Retrieved April 2, 2009.
  16. ↑ Evan Schlansky (September 27, 2011). "Song Premiere: Rachael Yamagata, "The Way It Seems To Go"". American Songwriter. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Rachael Yamagata :: Store". Rachaelyamagata.spinshop.com. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  18. ↑ Cassadaga liner notes
  19. ↑ Archived May 18, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  20. ↑ Lifestyle News, Wawzenek, Bryan. My Morning Jacket, Amy Lee, Weezer Cover the Muppets Archived 2011-07-03 at the Wayback Machine, Gibson.com, 27 June 2011.
  21. ↑ Dittman, Earl (November 11, 2015). "Rachael Yamagata recounts her journey to musical independence". Digital Journal. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  22. ↑ Ruben, Josh. "JOSH'S MINDHOUSE". Archived from the original on October 12, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
  23. 1 2 3 Gaon Album Chart positions:
  24. ↑ "Rachael Yamagata Chart History, Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  25. ↑ "2013년 9주차 Album Chart 국외". Gaon Album Chart (in Korean). Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  26. ↑ Gaon Digital Chart positions:
  27. 1 2 Gaon Digital Chart (international) positions:
  28. ↑ "Rachael Yamagata Chart History, Adult Top 40 Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  29. ↑ Cumulative sales of "Be Be Your Love":
  30. ↑ "2012년 Download Chart 국외". Gaon Digital Chart (in Korean). Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  31. ↑ Cumulative sales of "Nothing Gets By Here":
  32. ↑ "2014년 08월 Download Chart 국외". Gaon Digital Chart (in Korean). Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  33. ↑ Chen, Nan (December 22, 2018). "Yamagata learns more about China through collaboration with Chinese musician". China Daily. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  34. ↑ "Prime [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]". AllMusic. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  35. ↑ "Original Soundtrack - Elizabethtown, Vol. 2". AllMusic. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  36. ↑ Johnson, Steve (May 16, 2009). "ID'ing the stars in kidney video". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  37. ↑ Raymer, Miles (November 25, 2014). "Hear Rachael Yamagata and John Medeski cover Robert Altman's 'Let's Begin Again'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  38. 1 2 3 "'밥 잘 사주는 누나'만 있나…'노래 잘 하는 예쁜 누나'도 있다". Joong Ang Ilbo (in Korean). May 3, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  39. ↑ "'봄밤' OST 레이첼 야마가타 'No Direction', 오늘(29일) 발매". The Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). May 29, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  40. ↑ "'봄밤' 엔딩 장식 OST '이츠 잇 유' 오늘(12일) 공개". Star Today (in Korean). June 12, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  41. ↑ "봄밤 한지민♥정해인, 로맨틱 OST 열풍 계속…레이첼 야마가타 곡 공개". The Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). June 19, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  42. ↑ "Rachael Yamagata Filmography". IMDb. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
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