In the fight with Rachel Platten
For more than 10 years, Rachel Platten did Prince covers, toured the country in her mom’s car, and scored the occasional movie and TV song. At every turn, stardom eluded her.
But just as she pondered giving it all up, she wrote one of those songs. A summer jingle you couldn’t escape in 2015.
Fight Song, her anthem about not quitting, broke the top 10 in the U.S. and hit No. 1 in Britain that year. And it has endured as an inspirational call to arms, used in commercials, TV shows (Pretty Little Liars, Supergirl), and was the official theme song of last year’s World Women’s U18 Championship in St. Catharines. It was also used by Hillary Clinton at campaign stops for her 2016 presidential bid.
The 36-year-old New Yorker checked in for some Q&A with The Niagara Falls Review before her Thursday night concert at the Niagara Fallsview Casino:
Review: Have your travels ever taken you to Niagara Falls?
Platten: “Yes! I lived in New York for several years so I travelled to the Falls on multiple occasions. I also had a chance to play a private event at the Fallsview Casino back in December of last year. I am excited to come back.”
Review: A lot of folks think you came out of nowhere with Fight Song two years ago, but it was a long haul getting to that point. Was there ever a time you thought about throwing in the towel?
Platten: “There were moments, of course. But I had this dream and fight inside me that I kept holding onto and kept pushing towards.”
Review: It has been adapted as an anthem for several causes. Which one resonates most with you?
Platten: “I don’t think there is one that resonates more than another with me. I just feel grateful that a song I wrote when I needed it the most has become an anthem for many different causes.”
Review: The song put you in a big spotlight, which comes with a lot of negativity and criticism as well. How did you handle that?
Platten: “It isn’t always easy. I have had to learn to rely a lot on myself, and realize we are all different with different ideas, and it will never be possible to please everyone. But what I can do is work on being the best version of myself. I constantly try to remind myself of the power that is within me.”
Review: Does it feel intimidating to follow it up now, without making it sound like Fight Song II?
Platten: “I feel so grateful for the journey Fight Song has taken me on, but I am excited for the world to hear my new music. This new music is still very honest and heartfelt, but this time the story has changed. My music has become my way of coming to terms with the life-changing and incredible journey I have been on since releasing Fight Song.”