Rachel Platten facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rachel Platten
Rachel Platten at the 2023 Gateway Celebrity Fight Night in Phoenix
Born	Rachel Ashley Platten (1981-05-20) May 20, 1981 (age 44) New York City, New York, U.S.
Alma mater	Trinity College (BA)
Occupation	Singer songwriter author
Years active	2011-present
Spouse(s)	Kevin Lazan ​ (m. 2010)​
Children	2
Musical career
Genres	Pop indie pop
Instruments	Vocals piano keyboards guitar
Labels	Rock Ridge Columbia RCA

Rachel Ashley Platten (born May 20, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and author. She became famous in 2015 with her hit song "Fight Song". This song reached number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and was very popular around the world. Rachel even won a Daytime Emmy Award for singing "Fight Song" live on Good Morning America.

Before "Fight Song," Rachel released two albums on her own. After her big hit, she released her first major album, Wildfire, in 2016. This album was very successful and included other popular songs like "Stand by You". Her next album, Waves, came out in 2017.

Besides music, Rachel Platten has also been a model for the clothing brand Aerie. She appeared on the cover of The Improper Bostonian magazine. Rachel is also known for supporting many charities. She has worked with Musicians on Call for a long time, singing for hospital patients. She has volunteered for over 50 programs with this group.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Rachel Platten was born on May 20, 1981, in New York City. She grew up in Newton Centre, Massachusetts. Her mom is a therapist. Rachel has a younger sister named Melanie.

Rachel started learning classical piano when she was 5 years old. In high school, she began playing the guitar. She sang in her high school's singing group. When she went to Trinity College, she joined the Trinity College Trinitones, which was the first all-female singing group at the college.

Studying Abroad and Finding Her Path

As part of her college studies, Rachel Platten spent time in Rome and Trinidad. In Trinidad, she worked at a diplomat's office and a music company. While there, she sang backup for a friend's band in front of more than 80,000 people in 2002. Rachel says that after that moment, she knew she wanted to be a full-time musician.

She finished college in 2003 with a degree in political science. In the same year, she released her first album, Trust in Me, on her own. She then moved to Greenwich Village in New York City. She made demo recordings and performed in a band that played cover songs by artists like Prince. Rachel worked different jobs, including being a waitress and selling makeup, while she pursued her music dreams.

Music Career Highlights

Early Albums and TV Songs

Rachel Platten's first album released by a music company was Be Here in April 2011. A song from this album, "1,000 Ships," became popular on adult radio stations. Another one of her early songs, "Seven Weeks," was used in the movie The Good Guy.

Rachel also sang the theme song for the TV show Jane by Design, called "Work of Art." Her song "Begin Again" was featured in the 100th episode of the teen drama Pretty Little Liars. Other songs like "Don't Care What Time It Is" and "You're Safe" were used in TV shows like Basketball Wives and Finding Carter. On June 27, 2014, Rachel first shared her song "Fight Song" online.

Platten singing at the closing of the 2016 Invictus Games in Orlando, Florida

Wildfire and "Fight Song" Success

On February 19, 2015, Rachel Platten officially released "Fight Song" from her album Wildfire. This song became a huge hit. It reached number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and was number one in the UK. It was also very popular in Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand.

In June 2015, Rachel performed "Fight Song" with Taylor Swift in front of 50,000 people during Swift's tour. "Fight Song" has sold millions of copies in the US. Rachel's 2015 mini-album, Fight Song EP, also did well on the charts.

Rachel Platten opened for other artists like Alex & Sierra and Andy Grammer on their tours in 2015. She also toured with Colbie Caillat and Christina Perri. On September 11, 2015, she released her second single from Wildfire, called "Stand by You". This song also became a top hit in Canada and the United States.

After a sad event in Orlando, Rachel announced that money from a new version of "Fight Song" would help those affected. In 2016, she appeared in a commercial for Nationwide insurance. She also sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" before a major baseball game in 2016. On New Year's Eve 2016, Rachel performed in Times Square in New York City, singing her hits and John Lennon's "Imagine". In 2017, she opened for Faith Hill and Tim McGraw on their tour.

Waves and Recent Work

Platten on stage in West Hollywood, California, November 2017

"Broken Glass" was the first song released from her fourth album, Waves, on August 18, 2017. The full album came out on October 27, 2017. Critics said that Rachel's songs often have a strong message about believing in yourself. She wrote every song on the album. Waves appeared on the Billboard 200 chart.

In 2018, Rachel was the main musical guest at the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular. She sang her popular songs and talked about growing up in Boston. From May to July 2019, she toured with the a cappella group Pentatonix.

Rachel also wrote a children's book called You Belong, named after her 2018 song. The book was released on March 31, 2020. In 2022, Rachel performed "Stand by You" at A Capitol Fourth, a concert for Independence Day in Washington, D.C..

In 2023, Rachel Platten released a new song called "Girls." She performed it at the Gracie Awards in May 2024. She also released a song called "Bad Thoughts" in April 2024, which she wrote to help herself during a panic attack. Her fifth album, I Am Rachel Platten, was released by her own record label, Violet Records, on September 4, 2024.

Personal Life

Rachel Platten married Kevin Lazan on July 31, 2010, in a Jewish ceremony. They have two daughters. Their first daughter, Violet Skye, was born on January 26, 2019. Their second daughter, Sophie Jo, was born on September 9, 2021. Rachel has spoken openly about experiencing postpartum depression after her daughters were born.

Discography

• Trust in Me (2003)
• Be Here (2011)
• Wildfire (2016)
• Waves (2017)
• I Am Rachel Platten (2024)

Filmography

Rachel Platten has appeared as herself in various TV shows and specials. She often performs her songs or is a guest.

Awards and Recognition

Rachel Platten has received several awards for her music and her inspiring work.

Tours

Rachel Platten has performed on several tours, both as the main act and as a supporting artist for other musicians.

Headlining Tours

• The Wildfire Tour (2016)
• The Set Me Free Tour (2025)

Co-headlining Tours

• Girls Night Out, Boys Can Come Too Tour (with Colbie Caillat and Christina Perri) (2015)

Supporting Act Tours

• The Good Guys & A Girl Tour (Alex & Sierra and Andy Grammer)

Opening Act Tours

• Soul2Soul: The World Tour (Faith Hill and Tim McGraw) (2017)
• Pentatonix: The World Tour (Pentatonix) (2019)

Images for kids

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  Rachel Platten at the 2023 Gateway Celebrity Fight Night in Phoenix

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  Platten singing at the closing of the 2016 Invictus Games in Orlando, Florida

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  Platten on stage at the Peppermint Club in West Hollywood, California, November 2017

See also

In Spanish: Rachel Platten para niños