Why do we—humans, women, youth—so often feel like we need explicit and repeated permission to breathe life into our visions? A leader and artist in every sense of the words, Rachel says, “Lol, yeah, right,” to needing permission to be herself.
We’ve adored having Rachel grace Girls Rock SB with her presence, wisdom, and undeniable edge for the last five years, so we know you’ll enjoy our interview with her as much as we did. If only five years of supportive relationships, personal growth, and musical breakthroughs could be crammed into one interview… Welp, we do what we can.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT CREATING MUSIC/ART, ARTICLES, PODCASTS, ETC.?
I love that I have the freedom to create whatever I want to create. Music is a world in which I have complete control over what goes into my creation and what the end product sounds like. It’s so much fun to come up with a new bass line or find the perfect drum beat to back up the song I’m creating. I can pour out my emotions into lyrics and come out with something that is all my own.
WHAT KIND OF MUSIC DO YOU LIKE TO LISTEN TO? DID THIS CHANGE AT ALL AFTER YOU CAME TO CAMP?
I like to listen to a wide variety of music, though I guess the genre I listen to the most would be considered indie or, as my mom calls it, “easy listening for teenagers.” I like to feel relaxed and comforted when I listen to music, and feel like I get that out of the indie genre. My music has definitely changed a lot since going to camp. I have found so many amazing female artists that I can find inspiration in and look up to.
HOW DOES IT FEEL FOR YOU TO PERFORM YOUR MUSIC ON STAGE?
It feels amazing to know that people are listening to my creations and enjoying them. It just adds to the feeling of accomplishment, knowing that they are heard by more than just me and a few other campers and counselors.
WHAT MADE YOU LAUGH THE HARDEST AT CAMP?
There really isn’t one thing that makes me laugh the hardest at camp. It’s mostly the dumb inside jokes my friends and I come up with throughout the week that get me. For example, last summer, a few of the campers kept saying, “Raaaaccheeellll, we looooove you,” in a really weird voice, and accompanied by a mini choreographed dance. I pretended I was annoyed by it, but it was hilarious to see them do something so weird and really made my day.
WHAT IS ONE THING YOU’D TELL PARENTS WHO ARE CONSIDERING THIS CAMP FOR THEIR KIDS?
They definitely won’t regret sending their kids to Girls Rock SB. My mom has told me she’s seen a huge improvement in my confidence since I started going to camp back in 2015. Parents are likely to see a large shift in their child’s happiness and feelings of self-worth—all for the better, of course. I don’t think I would be the same person I am today if it weren’t for camp. I really have built friendships that will last a lifetime, and I think it’s important for every child to be given the chance to experience that same thing.
WHAT WAS THE SCARIEST PART ABOUT COMING TO CAMP? WAS IT STILL THE SCARIEST PART ON YOUR LAST DAY?
I was the most nervous about making friends and being away from home. I had only ever been away from home without my family once before in my life, and it hadn’t been the best experience. I was scared I wasn’t going to be able to make friends or enjoy my experience at camp. This was definitely not an issue by the end of the week—I remember even telling my mom, right as we were leaving campus, that I already missed camp and all my friends there.
WHICH INSTRUCTOR OR STAFF MEMBER PARTICULARLY INSPIRED YOU? WHY?
I don’t think I have any one instructor or counselor who’s inspired me the most. Overall, I have been greatly impacted by amazing counselors who have shown me nothing but love and compassion. They prove to me that it’s possible to be confident in my abilities and that I should never give up on doing what I love.
WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHTIME ARTIST?
One of my favorite lunchtime artists was probably Pretty Little Demons. The singer from that band, Lydia, went on to be the front woman for The Regrettes, a band that’s gaining loads of attention and praise for their music now. It’s so interesting to think that, just five years ago, I was sitting on the floor of a classroom watching her perform and now she’s become a successful musician who’s performing for people all over the world. It just goes to show that, with hard work and perseverance, you can get anywhere you want.
HOW DO YOU THINK CAMP HAS BETTER PREPARED YOU FOR, WELL, LIFE? GOING TO SCHOOL, COLLEGE, EVEN YOUR FIRST JOB OR FIRST DATE?
Camp has made me realize that I need to go into everything I do with confidence. I have every right to be proud of myself and my achievements, and should never feel like I don’t deserve what I’ve accomplished. No matter how small they might be.
IF YOU COULD TAKE ONE MOMENT FROM CAMP AND COPY/PASTE IT INTO EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE, WHICH MOMENT WOULD YOU PICK?
At the end of the week, everyone goes around in a circle and says how they feel, be it about the week as a whole, their day, or their nerves about the showcase. I think it’s important to share your feelings, and I feel like if I did something similar to that with my friends, we’d be a lot more comfortable with sharing our emotions with each other and much more receptive to others’ feelings.
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