Rachael Yamagata
She is a Yonsei or fourth-generation Japanese American on her father's side and of Italian and German ancestry on her mother's side.
Early life
A child of divorced parents, Yamagata divided her time growing up between her Sansei Japanese American father, a Washington, D.C.-based attorney and Harvard graduate; and her Italian-German Jewish mother, an artist/painter in New York City. Yamagata graduated from the Holton-Arms School for Girls in Bethesda, Maryland, and attended Northwestern and Vassar.
Music career
Bumpus
Yamagata became the vocalist for the Chicago funk-fusion band Bumpus, spending six years writing and recording three albums with the band and touring the country.
In 2001, after having written a number of songs that didn't fit with the funk style of the band, Yamagata decided to take the songs and launch a solo career. In September 2002, she landed a two-record deal with Arista's Private Music and her self-titled EP produced by Malcolm Burn, Rachael Yamagata Ep was released in October.
Solo career
Her first full-length album, Happenstance, followed in June 2004.
It was produced by John Alagia (Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Ben Folds Five). "I Want You" features several members of prominent American Klezmer group The Klezmatics.
Videos were made for the first and second singles "Worn Me Down" and "1963".
Her songs have featured on several TV shows, including How I Met Your Mother, ER , Nip/Tuck, Men in Trees, Alias, One Tree Hill, Brothers & Sisters and The O.C., to which she made a guest performance in season 2. Yamagata also contributed a song to Mandy Moore's 2007 album, Wild Hope. She also toured with Moore, opening many of her shows around the country.
Yamagata's second studio album is called Elephants...
Teeth Sinking Into Heart. It was originally slated for release in the late-summer of 2007. In early 2008, her site featured a "teaser video" for the new album. The album has a release date of October 7, 2008.
On May 22, 2008, a new banner was added to her site indicating the digital release of a new EP, Loose Ends, with three new songs, serving as a preview for the now delayed release of her second full-length album.
Yamagata's songs have appeared in a number of films and television shows.
These include:
She also made an appearance in Jason Mraz's second album, singing a song with him called "Did You Get My Message?". She also sings on "Fireflies" and "The Believer" on Rhett Miller's solo CD, "Barfly" on Ray Lamontagne's Till the Sun Turns Black and "Let it Ride", "Cold Roses", and "Friends", on Ryan Adams' Cold Roses.
She sings backup on six tracks on the Bright Eyes' album Cassadaga.
Discography
Studio albums
Happenstance (2004)
Elephants... Teeth Sinking Into Heart (2008)
EPs
EP (2003)
Live at the Loft & More (2005)
Loose Ends (2008)
Singles
"Worn Me Down"
"Letter Read"
"1963"
"River"
Live/Compilations
Live at the Bonnaroo Music Festival (2004), released exclusively on Bonnaroo
Sony Connect Sets (2005), released exclusively on Sony Connect
KCRW Sessions: Rachel Yamagata (2005), released exclusively on iTunes
Napster session: Rachael Yamagata (2005), released exclusively on Napster
Bumpus
Bumpus (1999)
Steroscope (2001)
Other contributions
Ryan Adams - Cold Roses (2005)
Jason Mraz - "Did You Get My Message?" (2005)
Chris Holmes - Blister of the Spotlight (2006)
Rhett Miller - The Believer (2006)
Ray LaMontagne - Till the Sun Turns Black (2006)
Bright Eyes - Four Winds (2007)
Bright Eyes - Cassadaga (2007)
Mandy Moore - Wild Hope (2007)
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