Rachel Taylor

Singer/songwriter Rachel Taylor first gained recognition as half of the Tacoma, Washington indie-pop duo He Is We. In 2008, while employed at a local record shop, she crossed paths with musician Trevor Kelly, after which the pair began collaborating on material. Their self-released demos, circulated via multiple social platforms, quickly drew interest from major labels, leading Universal Motown to sign the act and issue the full-length My Forever in 2010. Powered by Taylor’s sweet vocals alongside the group’s hook-laden, endearing indie-pop sound, the album debuted at number six on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart. After the 2011 EP Skip to the Good Part appeared, Taylor received a diagnosis of the rare autoimmune disorder Ankylosing Spondylitis and stepped away from the band to begin chemotherapy. When Kelly recruited another vocalist for touring duties, she resolved to continue independently, undeterred by her health struggles and her strained relationship with her former bandmate. She produced a new batch of demos between treatment sessions and approached Republic Records, He Is We’s subsequent label. Impressed by both her personal narrative and the strength of the songs, the imprint signed her as a solo artist. Her debut solo release arrived in July 2014 in the form of the darkly empowering EP Come Alive.