Rae Solomon is coming back strong with new music. She released “Never Met a Stranger” on September 9, 2022. Solomon has spent her life working toward a music career, and there have been setbacks along the way. Nevertheless, the singer/songwriter continues to persevere; her upcoming record is a testament to that. We had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Rae. Please keep reading to learn more about Rae Solomon and her music.
A Life Filled with Music
Rae Solomon has been chasing her dreams since a young age, destined to move to Music City. Solomon said, “I recently posted a reel on Instagram of me sitting at a piano when I was around 18 months old. I would bang on the keys, turn around, and wait for applause. So, I was a performer from the beginning. At three years old, I told my mom I wanted to sing on country radio, and I never looked back. At twelve years old, my first gig as a professional singer was with the Bellevue Opera.” But, I am a country girl, so Opera was not my first love.”
Rae Solomon would spend much of her time in the Pacific Northwest, building a following in country music until moving to Nashville. The singer/songwriter said, “I am a former rodeo queen from Seattle. Most people don’t usually think of country music in Seattle, but there is a healthy country scene. So growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I began touring. I had opened for Blake Shelton, Lonestar, Granger Smith, Chris Cagle, and Crystal Gayle. So, I was able to build a good fanbase in the Northwest. Then, when I felt I had done all I could in Seattle, I moved to Nashville.”
Rae Solomon Experiences Highs and Lows in Music City
Rae Solomon moved to Nashville almost ten years ago but seemed to be on the fast track to success shortly after moving to Nashville. But instead, she would face one of the lows in her career. The Seattle native said, “I got my first record/publishing deal about two years after moving to town, but it was short-lived. So six weeks after signing the contract, I began trying to get out of it. It was not a great situation, but it was like a rite of passage. You are so excited that someone believes in your music that you take the first deal offered to you.” Of course, Solomon is not the first artist to jump at the first offer, and she definitely won’t be the last. But, Solomon would use her experiences to fuel the writing for her new record.
Not only would she fight to get out of a record contract, but Solomon also faced struggles in her personal life. The singer/songwriter said, “I have quite the story of highs and lows. In 2016, I was fighting to get out of that record deal and was going through a terrible breakup. During that, I was left homeless by that ex-boyfriend. So, I packed all my belongings into a storage unit and went on tour for about four months. Thankfully, playing, performing, and being on the road kept me sane because I didn’t have time to think about the overwhelming life changes. Once I returned home and settled, some of the fall-apart moments came, but also the healing moments. So, that’s from where most of the writing for my new record came.”
2020 would derail the recording and release of Rae’s new project. Solomon explained, “I was in LA recording when Covid hit. We were on Day two of five studio days when the lockdown began. Immediately, I took the first redeye flight back to Nashville. So it became a long process to finish the record with studios closed. But, I am grateful for 2020 because I was able to slow down and complete this project.
Rae Solomon talks about Songwriting
Rae Solomon, like others, will attest Nashville makes you a better songwriter. Solomon said, “I think I wrote my first song when I was seven. I’ve always been a writer, even down to memorizing things in school. I would put stuff to music to help me remember. Interestingly, when I moved to Nashville, I only wrote when I was inspired. When you’re co-writing, you set a time and decide what to write about when you’re in the room. It was interesting to develop the craft of writing on demand. Being in Nashville hones your songwriting craft.”
Rae Solomon cannot contain her excitement about all the new music coming. The singer/songwriter said, “I am so excited for this record. Everyone has input on which songs to cut when working with a team. So, the last couple of projects I released were a mix of outside songs and those I wrote. However, I wrote or co-wrote every song on this upcoming record. Every track is a true story from or about my life. So, this is like my diary record. It’s incredible to see people connecting and responding to it. It’s a vulnerable place as a songwriter and artist to put your heart on your sleeve with all the heartbreaking moments that come with it.”
Balancing Life and Social Media in Music
2020 was a year of change in the music industry. Artists looked to social media to stay relevant with their fans. For some, having a social media presence is almost a full-time job. Solomon discussed her use of social media. Rae said, “I’ve had a few videos go viral, so that’s been an interesting year seeing how that is changing things. Over the last eleven months, I’ve had 750 million views across social media. One of the misconceptions is being an artist, and a social media influencer is the same. But I’ve got both. I’ve had all this luck going viral on social media, and I have my music. So I am trying to figure out how to mesh those things together. They help each other, but they are very different jobs.”
Many artists carefully craft what they share on social media. When you look at profiles, it can be confusing what they are promoting. Rae Solomon gives us a mix of music and life. The singer/songwriter said, “It’s fascinating navigating the expectations of being a singer, songwriter, and artist with this social media presence. I try to give people a well-rounded view of my life, and I’m grateful people are connecting with what I am doing.”
Rae Solomon releases “Never Met a Stranger”
“Never Met a Stranger” is the first single from Rae Solomon’s upcoming album, “To the Queen.” The song hit number one on the aBreak58 playlist on abreakmusic.com a day before being released on streaming platforms. “Never Met a Stranger” was written by Rae Solomon, Jon Stoddard, and Taylor Watson, and it was produced by Jim Kaufman. Solomon said, “It’s been incredible to see how people have connected to that song. No matter where you stand politically or ideologically, I think we are all sensing something’s not right. There is so much animosity toward each other. So, I saw all this fighting about things that aren’t real; they are just esoteric ideas. But, we are so much more alike than we are different, and that is what this song is about. It’s about coming together and focusing on those things that unite us. During those quarantine moments of 2020, it was easy to get carried away with fear. Everyone wants to be loved, free, and happy.”
Solomon plans to release a couple more singles before we get the album later. The singer/songwriter had a vision for this project, but we will have to wait to hear it. Nevertheless, I am excited to listen to the rest of this new music from Rae Solomon.
Rae Solomon Wants You to Know
What does Solomon want you to know about her and her music? What does she want you to walk away with after experiencing her live show? The singer/songwriter said, “I want people to walk away with a sense of love, light, and hope. When people see me live, it’s an energetic stage show, but I want them to feel the music. I hope that fans leave my show feeling love and positivity. My goal for my music and myself is to leave the world a better place than I found it.”
My Thoughts
Interestingly, I randomly met Rae Solomon while out for a night out on Broadway in Nashville. I had known about her for a while but was struck by her authenticity when we met. After hearing the music Rae released in 2021, I was a fan. So as soon I learned she was releasing new music, I immediately contacted her to request an interview and invite her to play our writer’s showcase, “Pre-famous.”
Solomon’s vocal talent is undeniable, but Rae says she “can’t whistle or do a cartwheel.” Although Solomon said, “I had a video of me trying to do a handstand and falling on my head go viral. So, it’s good I can sing because skipping rocks and whistling is not my thing.” Undiscovered Nashville is thankful Rae Solomon can sing too, and I hope you agree. You can follow her on social media to stay up to date on all things Rae Solomon.
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