Article Contributed by Mike
Published on October 30, 2025
Beloved folk-pop singer-songwriter Rachael Sage and her longtime band The Sequins have released their new album Canopy via MPress Records. PRESS HERE to stream / download. A balm to all the divisiveness in the world, Canopy tackles themes of acceptance, inclusivity, and safety through songs that feel like a refuge woven from resilience and the irrepressible determination to find light in the darkest places.
“Canopy is the first album that I feel reflects every aspect of my artistry, not only as a singer, producer, and musician, but also as a songwriter,” shares Sage. “I’d like to say this is because the album is full of brand-new songs, but some of them were composed when I was a teenager or in my 20’s. The title track just fell out after one too many late-night doomscrolls where the amount of violence and discord I digested in the span of a few minutes was so intense and so demoralizing that I wanted to crawl into a hole and stay there. They’re among the most honest lyrics I’ve ever written, but it very quickly formed an almost visceral image of an entire album focused on inclusiveness, acceptance, safety and empathy started to crystallize in my mind.”
In tandem with release week, Sage and her band have also shared their official music video for “Live It Up,” a joyful, docu-style band rehearsal full of lighthearted, off the cuff interactions and the spontaneous moments of collaboration that make life worth celebrating. PRESS HERE to watch the visual that draws inspiration from the music video for Dionne Farris’ chart-topping hit “I Know” and perfectly captures the track which playfully diverts listeners from the overwhelming news cycle towards equality and understanding.
Featuring new tracks such as “Colorized World, “Kill The Clock”, and “Underneath,” 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 Canopy.”
Bringing our collective humanity back into focus, Canopy is a 14-track project that confidently spans Americana, pop, and neo-folk in a statement of self. Produced by Sage with GRAMMY-nominated engineer Mikhail Pivovarov, Canopy features inspired performances by her longtime beloved bandmates and friends including Kelly Halloran (Goo Goo Dolls), Trina Hamlin (Susan Werner), Ward Williams (Sara Bareilles), and more. The record was mixed by Pivovarov and GRAMMY-winning mixer Andy Zulla (Kelly Clarkson, Rod Stewart, Diana Ross) and continues Sage’s ongoing journey of storytelling with the goal of creating a community in which everyone feels safe and embraced for exactly who they are.
“When I recorded the songs with my band The Sequins it really felt like a metaphor; this group of beautiful, brilliant humans have been and continue to be a kind of shelter and safe place for me,” Sage concludes. “We are all very good friends and there’s a solidness and sense of gratitude when we come together that just felt like a kind of antidote in these chaotic times, so I decided to debut our Rachael Sage & The Sequins moniker for the first time with this recording. It’s so nice to be able to give them their ‘flowers’ as being an integral part of the arrangement and performances on these tracks – and I hope listeners can feel how the affection we have in and out of the studio is embedded on Canopy.”
Canopy follows the recent release of single “Nexus,” a sobering, utopian folk-pop manifesto whose proceeds will be donated to LGBTQ+ suicide prevention charity The Trevor Project in honor of Nex Benedict who passed away after being beaten by their school peers for being nonbinary. The collection also includes fan favorites “Belong To You,” a uniquely meaningful moment about the devotion and loyalty of our friendships that celebrates love in all forms, “The Best Version,” a lyrical, piano-pop confession that grapples with social media surrealism, and “Canopy” which imagines a world where shelter is a given for all as well as “Just Enough,” a starry-eyed fan favorite about being enough exactly as you are.
Fresh off her Joy = Resistance Tour with singer-songwriter/multi-
