I don't know exactly what to attribute it to, but my bets are on Rachel Platten.
She's one of those pop singer/songwriters who will inevitably make it. Whether it's the ultra-cutesy music videos featuring her permanent smile, her sing-along songs or her impressive vocal range -- she's got that American Idol kind of charm. She's the kind of girl who's poised to be plucked out of the coffeeshop. According to her track "Nothing Ever Happens," off her recent release, Be Here, she understands how to play the game, singing, "Nothing ever happens if you always play it safe."
Platten has been bold in her career since the beginning. After attending Berklee School of Music in Boston, she decided to book her own gigs, pretending to be her own agent and managed to book slots with the likes of the Strokes, Regina Spektor, Ziggy Marley and Rusted Roots.
It's an ethos that has garnered her some serious attention from corporate partners, who in turn have offered her mainstream exposure. Her music has been featured on commercials for Downy, Jeep, Barbie and even Dixie Paper Plates, along with Banana Republic, Rachel Ray and Quicksilver.
Be Here was the result of her journeys throughout London, Stokholm, New York and L.A. Her sound definitely leans toward Regina Spektor/Ingrid Michaelson/Kate Nash territory, but it's got its own soul. A classically trained pianist, Platten infuses melody into her powerful songwriting, then executes it in an airy, carefree way that suggests that although the spotlight may be on her, she's taking it all in stride.
Platten will be kicking off her West Coast tour right here in San Diego, beginning with a show at Anthology on Oct. 6 with Keaton Simons and Michael Tolcher. Grab your tickets here.
Nada Alic runs the San Diego-based music blog Friends With Both Arms.Follow her updates on Twitter or contact her directly.
