Pop/Soul Singer-Songwriter, Rachel Burns, is a multi-talented Washington DC-based artist who is inspired by iconic singers and entertainers such as Amy Winehouse, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Tina Turner, and the like. Writing songs that combine life’s humor and heartbreak, Burns infuses the influences of blues, country, and jazz with a theatrical twist in her original music. Burns grew up in a musical family and went on to get a degree in Classical Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. After college, Burns performed and arranged jazz, blues pop, and country tunes with bands in Boston and DC for over 20 years. The singer was diagnosed with Stage III Breast Cancer in 2013; placing her active music career on hold as she underwent 9 months of intense treatment. Using her cancer diagnosis as the fuel and guidance to pursue her passion as a musician, Burns began honing her sound and crafting songs that stretch across the spectrum from quirky to uplifting to ultimately funny. The proudly unique artist inspires women across the world to empower themselves through her songwriting and arranging. After cancer treatment, Burns began songwriting which led to the release of her first original single, “Sundown of the Macho Man.” Burns also had a stint of inspiring women as a humorous Wonder Woman character throughout many protests in Washington DC during Trump’s administration. The intriguing and powerful getup landed her in several major publications including on the front page of the New York Times’ Style section as well as multiple times in The Washington Post. It was during this time Burns crafted the quirky and bluesy track, “Tiny Hands.” The music video for the song, a satirical take on Trump’s infamous reputation and sex scandals, has amassed over 129K organic views since its release in 2020. That same year, the songwriter was also featured as a breast cancer survivor in New York Fashion Week as she animatedly walked the catwalk during the AnaOno FearLESS show. In the summer of 2022, Burns signed with Lady Savage Management & PR based in Nashville and will be releasing her sophomore EP, ‘What a Nasty Woman’, in Spring 2023. Burns’ vibrant and unique personality can be found on her YouTube Channel, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Visit rachelburnsmusic.com to stay up to date on new releases, upcoming shows, and to connect with Rachel online!
What’s Your Favourite Song EVER And Why?
Oh, I have so many, but I’m going to go with an oldie, but goodie: “I will survive” by Gloria Gaynor. It’s disco, Motown, empowerment, and encouragement all wrapped up in a dance hit. What’s not to love?
Tell Us About The Creative Process! Where And How Was The Track (“Hope Is A Tricky Thing”) Produced?
I tracked “Hope” during the height of the pandemic, so originally we tracked it with musicians in my house-all in different rooms with masks on. We then edited it at home and added more percussion and horns. When the pandemic was lifting, I mixed it, and put down my final vocals and the organ parts in a professional studio. It was a journey, but with hope, we made it possible!
What Motivates Your Music And What Inspired This Release?
I was a singer all of my life and a songwriter pretty recently. After I was diagnosed with breast cancer almost 10 years ago, I battled to get my energy back to performing and making music again. Once I gained that energy back a little, I started writing songs. I felt the diagnosis propelled me to do what I always wanted. Life felt shorter, and I figured it was now or never. I wanted to bring light into the world through music and thought I had a story to tell. My father also was a musician who guided me into music-when he passed away 5 years ago from cancer, I promised him I wouldn’t wait anymore and I would go for it and make him proud. I also am a mother to two daughters and they are huge motivators for me to create and tell my story through music. I wanted to leave something behind for them if anything happened to me health-wise, and I wanted them to see me pursue my dreams. I never wanted to be the Mom that said, “I could have, but I didn’t.” I wanted to show them that I could and I would.
Who Would You Recommend Your Audience To Listen To?
I love badass, big singers. Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Janis Joplin, Dolly Parton, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Mavis Staples, Girl groups of Motown and Stax, and of course the great jazz singers like Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Anita O’Day.