HOLLER AT THE WIND OUT ON MARCH 14 VIA MOONLITE MEDIA
After a 20-year hiatus, singer-songwriter and guitarist Rachel Kane returns with Holler at the Wind, an album shaped by resilience and raw, bluesy folk. Her new single, “Never Said Goodbye,” is a heartfelt tribute to her late father, world-renowned mathematician Jacob T. Schwartz, exploring grief, regret, and the longing for words left unsaid. Featuring award-winning musicians and a striking black-and-white video directed by her son, Beatox, the song marks a powerful new chapter in Kane’s artistic journey.
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Hello, folks. I’m a singer-songwriter born in New York City, who moved to Winnipeg at age 21. I only started writing my own songs after my first child was born. Three months later, I found myself in a professional studio, recording the first tracks of my debut album. That got me movin’!
“Never Said Goodbye” is such a deeply personal song. Can you share what the writing process was like and how it helped you navigate your feelings of grief and regret?
Some years back it felt like I needed to write something about my father’s death and the weird circumstances surrounding it. I flew to New York right away when he called to say he didn’t have much longer, but I couldn’t bring myself to say goodbye. All I did was lie down beside him and fall asleep. I held his arm briefly but couldn’t find any words to say. He died a few hours after I left his apartment to go sleep at my sister’s place nearby. I was weak at that moment. Though I was sober at the time, all the alcohol and drug use had pushed my feelings and confidence so far down that they just couldn’t come out. At least he knew I was there. It doesn’t feel like it was enough, but it will have to be.
Collaborating with your son Beatox as a producer on Holler at the Wind must have been special. How did working with him influence the sound and storytelling of the album?
Working with Adam helped bring the feelings I’d buried so deep back to the surface. Adam speaks with authority, dignity, and sensitivity. These qualities make him a great producer and a great person. I think sometimes I stepped on his toes, but he’s a good dancer, so to speak.
After stepping back from music for nearly 20 years, what inspired you to return and create Holler at the Wind?
I never abandoned music completely. I just wrote for my own pleasure, believing it was too late to try and release music again. Adam didn’t accept this and encouraged me to do another project.
The album explores themes of motherhood, aging, and healing. How has your life experience over the years shaped the stories and messages in your music?
Definitely my personal experiences inform my songwriting. I’ve been told, “Write what you know.” I took that advice to heart. In the song, “Pace Yourself,” many of my experiences are mentioned from falling off my bike to falling off the wagon (taking something fun, way too far).
For fans new to your music, what song or moment from Holler at the Wind would you recommend as a starting point to understand your journey and sound?
I think “Follow You Down” is a song that shows what my best self is like or how I imagine it to be. I’m not entirely sure that I can “make the shadows run and hide” as I mention in the song, but I sure would like to be that person.
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