Yamagata bringing big sound to bangkok

Yamagata bringing big sound to bangkok

The Japanese-American songstress steps onto a Thai stage for the first time this week with a full band including strings to back up her mesmerisingly melancholy vocals

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Yamagata bringing big sound to bangkok

With a voice best described as soulful, but with a husky edge, Rachael Yamagata's sound is graceful enough to bring to mind Norah Jones, yet stirs deep emotions a la Sarah McLachlan. But no amount of comparison can pin down Yamagata. Her songs are uniquely cinematic, and her voice and melodies ascend and fall with a rhythm that is never predictable or mainstream. Each song is a story unfolding. A testament to the engaging nature of her musical narratives is the extent of her fan base which spans not only the US but also Asia and Europe.

Although Yamagata has been touring for roughly 10 years, she will perform in Thailand for the first time on Thursday at the Thailand Cultural Centre small hall. She's planning on bringing a big sound to the venue, and will have both a cellist and violinist on stage: "There are certain songs that I think are just electric if you play with a full band. I really want to showcase the strings. We'll have a total of six people on stage; it's a big sound."

Yamagata says an artist needs to leave a musical footprint when making one's debut performance in a new country. With the band at her side, she feels the audience will experience her songs in all their glory, so their true colours, both in melody and harmony, can filter through.

As for the line-up, Yamagata says it will be a mixture from past records Happenstance (2004), Elephants ... Teeth Sinking Into Heart (2008) and Chesapeake (2011). She will also perform songs featured on various EPs, including her latest, Heavyweight (2012). She wants to deliver favourites such as Worn Me Down, Even If I Don't, Sunday Afternoon and Be Be Your Love for her fans here, but she assures us she's not afraid to crank out some new tunes.

Yamagata grew up idolising singer-songwriters from the 1970s, and some of her earliest musical memories are of her parents listening to groups known for their attention to lyrics, including Fleetwood Mac, Simon and Garfunkel and Carole King. A few years later, as she grew more independent, she was drawn to the likes of Jeff Buckley. These artists may not have directly influenced her musical style, but she values how they were able to craft poignant stories.

Yamagata was not classically trained, and describes her learning process as a little like "picking up pieces" from artists who inspired her.

From a young age, Yamagata loved playing the piano, and music felt like a companion. "Crafting songs came very naturally, almost more so than conversations with peers. I would do it to translate my emotions," says Yamagata.

However, music was not always the career path she expected to follow. She studied languages and theatre at school, but everything changed on the night she saw a Chicago band called Bumpus perform. "I was just mesmerised by the live performance and energy on stage."

Soon after, she launched her music career as the lead singer of Bumpus, and six years later her solo journey began.

"I've played with some of my idols, like Ryan Adams," she says. "I've worked with Jason Mraz and Ray LaMontagne. I'm always pinching myself."

STRINGS ATTACHED: Rachael Yamagata hits the Bangkok stage for the first time this week.

Yamagata's musical presence has also permeated the world of television and film. Her hit song, Be Be Your Love, featured in the film Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (2005), and she's had countless tracks taken up by TV series including How I Met Your Mother, One Tree Hill and The OC. Her songs provide the perfect melancholic tone for those broken-hearted, recently betrayed, I'm-crying-whilst-looking-out-across-the-ocean moments.

Despite Yamagata's success, her humble nature shines through as she talks about her career highlights. Playing for the US president is on the list. "It was right after the first election and we were walking past all of the Secret Service, and sort of giddy with the whole experience. He was very cool," she says.

Yamagata is known for her heart-wrenching tunes, but her latest album, Chesapeake, took on a different vibe. Chesapeake followed her split with a major label due to long-endured frustrations surrounding an album release. She decided to go independent, and was overwhelmed by the freedom that came along with organising the album under her own label, Frankenfish Records. "It was so much about coming together and being excited because there was no sort of hierarchy you had to go through. It made it more ... free, enthusiastic, 'Let's just play music and whatever we get off on we'll keep it on the record!' There was no strategy behind it."

She describes her latest EP release, Heavyweight (2012), as having a much darker resonance. "It's a lot of string-heavy, heartbreak tunes ... that's sort of my calling card," she laughs. "A really important relationship had ended and a lot of these songs explored the different stages of that heartache."

With such gloomy offerings, it might come as a surprise that she also contributed to The Muppets (2011) movie soundtrack with her rendition of Gonzo's song, I'm Going to Go Back There Someday. "It was so much fun," she says. "But you know, when I really listened to the lyrics I'm like 'God, this is depressing! Poor Gonzo!' I kind of felt like I could relate to it."

A contestant from The Voice (Australia), Karise Eden, also shot to stardom after covering one of Yamagata's songs, You Won't Let Me. Eden released this song as her debut single after winning the competition. "I think she does a great job of it," says Yamagata. "She interpreted it for herself and made it her own." Yamagata says it was quite strange to experience the phenomenon of someone else covering her song. Despite the large time difference, she stayed up to hear the final verdict from her friend in Australia, who was involved in the song selections for the programme. "Literally in the middle of the night we were texting each other." says Yamagata. "She texted me saying, 'She won, she's singing it right now!"'

Yamagata may venture down the cover song path herself with the release of her next EP. "It hasn't come out yet but it's on the table," she says. According to Yamagata, she has felt inspired to cover various songs at different stages, but releasing an EP was never something she set out to do. "Some [song choices] were very random, maybe from having extra time with friends and saying 'wow wouldn't it be great to cover this?' It's not something I normally do." Yamagata says that she will only cover songs she believes she can bring a unique flavour to.

So when will this EP be out?

"Probably once I finish the Asia tour, I'll come back and figure out the release for that," she says.

So too are plans pending for the release of Yamagata's new album. "It would be great to at least be in the studio by late summer or the fall," she says.

Now, her priority is giving all she has to the upcoming tours around Southeast Asia, an opportunity she felt she just couldn't pass up. She's particularly happy to extend her reach to Thailand, so fans here don't have to worry about travelling across borders. "I could see on my fan page that people were asking, 'When are you coming to Thailand?' I'm assuming the promoters started noticing it too. It's really exciting!"

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