Photo Credit: Alexis Mimacho

PREMIERE – Rachel Hickey unveils new single, “High” + Five Questions With / Weekend Beats

Jenna Melanson·March 24, 2023

Toronto Singer-Songwriter Rachel Hickey Releases Spellbinding Introspective Alternative-Folk Single, “High”

With commanding lyrics and radiant vocals, Canadian artist Rachel Hickey delivers her spellbinding take on Folk-Rock with stunning creativity and captivating ease. Effortlessly flowing across the genres of Indie, Pop, and Rock, Rachel’s reflective and riveting songwriting draws in listeners with her magnetic vulnerability and masterful vocal performance. Introspective, melancholic, and brimming with clever metaphors, Rachel’s exceptional songwriting offers listeners a glimpse into her deepest emotions, as well as their own.

Rachel’s single, “High” is a musical journey of self-discovery. Initially penned as a song about high expectations, the song later revealed itself to its writer as a lyrical quest to discover who she is without outside influences. Riddled with cleverly written and often contradictory metaphors, “High” travels deep into the core of identity and personality from a self-described “recovering people-pleaser” faced with the monumental, often-ignored question of “who am I and what do I want?”.

From its delicate, acoustic opening with an airy and elegant guitar melody wrapped in Rachel’s warm, suede-cloaked vocals, “High” sonically expands to a grand, atmospheric, and urgent track with a driving drum groove and enveloping harmonies. Unknowingly confronting her fears of acceptance and worthiness – both from herself and others, the artist sings, “I am the forest just before dark/Get out while you can when your vision is sharp/I am a tall evergreen/But if you don’t like where you’re standing/Then you should just leave” as the instrumentation expands to sonically compliment the ominous feelings portrayed in the lyrics. Expertly crafted with words both poignantly self-reflective and expressively potent, Rachel Hickey’s “High” is a cathartic musical experience, both for the writer and listeners alike.

A song three years in the making, Rachel hopes that listeners will draw their own meaning from the song – relating to the music and metaphors in whichever way speaks to them most.

Watch the video for “High” below and learn more about Rachel Hickey via our Five Questions With segment.

Care to introduce yourself to our readers?

Hey! I’m Rachel Hickey, an independent singer-songwriter from Kitchener-Waterloo, now based in Toronto, ON. I’ve been making music from a young age, but I have since evolved from writing songs about elephants in wigs to songs about heartbreak, self-reflection, and existential crises. A good pivot? You be the judge.

A small-town upbringing, a Psychology/English degree, and a wholehearted dedication to acappella club has led me to love storytelling, getting vulnerable, searching for meaning in literally everything and using music as a way to create meaningful experiences with others. I’ve released two EPs so far, and am gearing up to release my debut full-length album titled The Eve of St. Agnes, heavily inspired by the world-famous poem by John Keats late this summer. (The English nerd comes out).

Tell us a bit about your most recent release.

“High” is the first single from my upcoming debut album. It’s a folk/rock journey in self-discovery, asking the monumental question of “who am I and what do I want?” when isolated from all outside influences. As a “recovering people-pleaser,” writing this song made me realize that after years of regularly putting others’ needs above my own, I’m now facing an identity crisis. I have no idea who I really am when I’m not trying to be “whatever you want me to be.”

“High” is an evolution from my previous releases, offering a more rock-focused, driving energy compared to my previous soft indie tunes. It also marks the beginning of a new era for me not just as an artist but also as a person. If the first EP was “Rachel gets dumped” and the second EP was “Rachel gets over it,” this upcoming release is “Rachel goes to therapy.”

Where do you tend to pull inspiration from when writing?

I tend to rely heavily on my subconscious mind when writing. When I get the urge to write, it’s usually a reaction to something I’m struggling with internally or need to work through. Sometimes I don’t even know what it is I need to work through until it comes out in writing, just letting the words spill out and editing as I go along so it can be shared with others and hopefully lend some meaning to new hearts and ears. At the end of the day, I pull inspiration from my own experiences or stories people tell me.

Do you have any upcoming shows or festivals you’d like to tell us about?

On Friday, March 24, I’m playing at Silence in Guelph to celebrate the release of “High”!

Coming down the line, there are more shows in the works around Kitchener-Waterloo and Toronto, and I’ll be at Springtide Music Festival in Uxbridge this summer! Follow me on socials to stay up to date on more show announcements coming soon.

What’s your goal for 2023?

My goal for 2023 is to make a whole lot of space for creativity, community, and exploration, with music leading the way. I’ve done the introspection, I’ve been the sad girl, I’ve buckled down and put in a lot of work to get to this point… now it’s time to let loose, experience new environments, connect with real people in real life, and push the envelope.