Beloved folk-pop singer-songwriter Rachael Sage and her longtime band The Sequins have released their uplifting new single and video “The Best Version” alongside the announcement of their new studio album Canopy, out October 24 via MPress Records. Standing as Sage’s most soulful and thought-provoking work to date, Canopy confidently spans Americana, pop, and neo-folk while exploring themes of living a purposeful and joyful life rooted in inclusiveness and equality. PRESS HERE to listen to new single “The Best Version,” a lyrical, piano-pop confession that grapples with social media surrealism and imagines a blissful, unplugged state of being. PRESS HERE to watch the music video, shot in a black box theatre, a metaphor for self-discovery without the anxiety of outside scrutiny.
“‘The Best Version’ is a pretty different flavor musically from the rest of the album,” shares Sage on the new single. “Over the last few years, I’ve witnessed more and more people throwing up their hands and feeling so continually misunderstood on social media that they’ve had to go on ‘social media fasts’ just to feel sane. This gave me the idea of imagining a sort of blissful, off-the-grid state of being where you might gaze into a night-sky, imagine your soulmate(s) living in other parts of the world, and feel simultaneously tiny and huge. In these chaotic times, I personally find a lot of solace knowing from being on tour that I have kindred spirits in many places now and this song expresses the gist of why I love touring so much. I think this is among the most hopeful tracks on the record and we worked really hard to reflect the hopeful, expansive feeling of the lyrics in the string arrangement.”
A much-needed musical reprieve from our current cultural upheaval, Canopy is equal parts emotional exhale and invitation to a more compassionate future, as well as a masterclass in radical inclusivity and self-acceptance. “Creating safety and inclusivity in times of divisiveness can be a radical and powerful act; it takes courage to stand up for justice and for our fellow human beings,” Sage adds. “Acceptance, inclusivity and safety are big themes on my forthcoming album Canopy.”
Featuring recently released single “Live It Up,” a joyful, piano-pop romp that playfully diverts listeners from the chaotic and overwhelming news cycle, Canopy is a beautifully crafted, deeply heartfelt collection of songs for listeners from all walks of life to find common ground. Marking a significant milestone in Sage’s career, Canopy is the debut album for the full band Rachael Sage & The Sequins. The 14-song collection continues her journey of storytelling, reinvention, and emotional connection, and features starry-eyed fan favorite “Just Enough” as well as title track, “Canopy,” which imagines a world where shelter is a given for all. PRESS HERE to pre-save Canopy which was produced by Sage and GRAMMY-nominated engineer Mikhail Pivovarov who also mixed the album with GRAMMY-winning producer Andy Zulla (Kelly Clarkson, Rod Stewart, Diana Ross). A special, limited-edition 40-panel hardcover book CD package - featuring Sage’s original artwork - as well as an orange-colored vinyl edition, is available for preorder now via MPress Records. Full track list below.
Accompanied by The Sequins – violinist Kelly Halloran (Goo Goo Dolls), drummer Andy Mac (Pete Muller and the Kindred Souls), Trina Hamlin (Susan Werner) on harmonica, and cellist Ward Williams (Sara Bareilles) – Sage has made a name for herself as a gifted storyteller, consummate multi-instrumentalist, and prolific songwriter. Having received critical acclaim from Billboard, American Songwriter, Under The Radar, The Bluegrass Situation, Earmilk, PopMatters, Music Connection, for her string of vibrant, dynamic albums, Sage is fueled by an irrepressible determination to find light in the darkest places – an unwavering calling which catapulted her 2020 single “Blue Sky Days” into Billboard’s Top 40 Indicator Chart.
Currently on the North American leg of her summer Joy = Resistance Tour with singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist and Righteous Babe Records artist Kristen Ford, Sage has been bringing her incomparable live show and the inclusive musical message of her upcoming album Canopy to major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Portland, Columbus, and many more. PRESS HERE for tickets.
Canopy tracklist:
Just Enough
Canopy
Live It Up
Belong to you
The Best Version
Everyday
Colorized World
Kill The Clock
Nexus
Le Rêve
God Bless America
Underneath
Just Enough (Chamber Version)
Everyday (Chamber Version)
ABOUT RACHAEL SAGE:
Since founding her own label MPress Records, NYC-based folk-pop artist Rachael Sage has steadily released a slew of vibrant, dynamic albums. She has toured with an eclectic list of artists including Rufus Wainwright, Ani DiFranco, Beth Hart, Howard Jones, and Grammy® winners Shawn Colvin and Judy Collins – with whom she also recorded a critically-acclaimed duet of Neil Young’s “Helpless.” In addition to being a six-time Independent Music Award-winning musician and producer, Sage is also a John Lennon Contest Grand Prize winner who has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, SXSW, and toured globally from Japan to Berlin. Sage is also a visual artist and former ballet dancer who performed with the New York City Ballet. A self-described "cancer thriver," she is a philanthropic advocate who has raised money for a wide range of causes, including Foundation For Women's Cancer, WHY Hunger, American Refugee Committee/Alight, and National Network For Youth (NN4Y).
2025 TOUR DATES:
September 25 – Rhythm's Coffee – Olympia, WA
September 26 - Rendezvous Jewel Box Theater - Seattle, WA
September 27 – Al’s Den – Portland, OR
October 4 – The Clark Cabaret – San Diego, CA^^
October 5 – Hotel Café – Los Angeles, CA^^
October 8 - The Lost Church - San Francisco, CA^^
October 11 – Fanwood Performance Series – Fanwood, NJ*
October 16 – 04 Center – Austin, RX**
October 17 – Mucky Duck – Houston, TX**
October 19 – Colony – Woodstock, NY#
October 23 – Cutting Room – New York, NY
November 13 – City Winery – Boston, MA##
^^ with Tom Goss
* with Danni Nicholls
** with Willy Porter
# with Annalyse & Ryan, Ginger Winn
## with Hannah Judson
