You might recognize the name Rachel Platten from the 2015 hit song, ‘Fight Song.’ In September 2024, this powerhouse singer released her fifth studio album, I Am Rachel Platten, an album that she describes as “the medicine [she] needed in the darkest moments of [her] life.” Following the album’s release, Rachel embarked on the Set Me Free Tour in the US, and we got to see her live and in person in LA!
The stage at the El Rey theater in Los Angeles was beautifully decorated with candles, plants, and rugs that Rachel described as a copy of her in-home studio back in Nashville. The vibes in the room all around were cozy, warm, and welcoming. This album, as Rachel has spoken about, helped her get out of a dark mental place that she never thought she could get out of. A song off her newest record that Rachel spoke in detail about was ‘Mercy.’ She shared with us that this particular song was written in less than 20 minutes as she lay on the floor of her studio and sobbed. Rachel’s vulnerability in this album very easily translated into her performance.
The use and emphasis of breathing techniques and breath work to get yourself out of a mental breakdown is found in Rachel’s song, ‘Bad Thoughts.’ The whole crowd may have been silent while Rachel was pouring her heart out to us, but it was because we were all in complete awe that her voice could just ~do that~.
After performing the majority of her new album, I Am Rachel Platten, Rachel performed some of her other hits. She laughed along with us as she recounted the stories of how she used to learn choreography for her songs and then had to do all the same routines over and over on tour. While trying to recreate some of the choreo for her 2017 hit ‘Shivers,’ Rachel told us she couldn’t keep up with the dancing and the singing anymore.
And of course, to finish off the show, Rachel graced our ears with ‘Fight Song.’ This song has meant so much to so many people since its release, and Rachel even spoke about how the meaning of it has also shifted for her thanks to the stories the fans attach to the song.
A huge thank you to Rachel Platten for allowing us the opportunity to be in this room with her as she shared her stories, laughed and cried with us, and made us feel heard and understood for even just two hours of our night. There’s no better way we could’ve asked to spend a Tuesday night in Los Angeles.
Catch the full gallery from the show below!
Will you be seeing Rachel Platten on this tour, or have you seen her before? What are your thoughts on her newest album? Let us know by commenting down below, on Facebook, Instagram, or by tweeting us @TheHoneyPOP! We can’t wait to hear from you!
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