Denver indie artist profile: The two sides of Rachel James

Talking music with Denver pop/rock artist Rachel James, you would never know she has only been on the Denver local scene for just under two years. Outgoing and confident, she comes across as someone who has been around the block a few times.

 

One possible reason for her confidence is that although she is fairly new as a performing solo artist, James is not new to music. Classically trained on piano from childhood, James was on a path toward a music career, but took a detour after college, moving instead into real estate development for several years, during which time she says she didn’t even touch her piano. Thus, James’ recent venture into performing and recording actually represents a return for her. “I just wanted to do something I was passionate about again,” she says.

 

James began playing piano again, started writing songs and recording, and put together her band, Brighton Boulevard. Since then, in a short span of time, she has made a name for herself in the local scene while making some significant appearances around town — including shows last summer at the Underground Music Showcase and the Denver stop of Vans Warped Tour 2010.

 

Another possible reason for James’ confidence is that since returning to music, she has experienced rapid growth as an artist, writer and performer. “I was lucky enough that I got some co-writing opportunities with some really amazing songwriters in Denver, so I learned a lot and I grew a lot in songwriting … I think it’s gone really well for me quickly because I just got to work with some amazing people right off the bat.”

 

As James shares about her musical direction, it becomes apparent that musically speaking, there are really two sides to her. There is Rachel James the artist/performer, and there is Rachel James the songwriter — and between the two, it is easy to see that songwriting has become one of her greatest passions. When she began writing on her own, she says, she was uncertain whether she had anything of value to say as a lyricist. But as is the case with many songwriters, the struggles of real life changed that for her. 

 

“I had a really, really hard year,” she says, “and it produced a lot of heartfelt writing.” It was a lesson James has apparently taken to heart. “I think if you are honest, I think if you are writing about something that you can sincerely feel, you’re always going to be able to come up with something that other people will be interested in.”

 

So what is on the burner for the two sides of Rachel James? For James the songwriter, she is expanding beyond writing for herself and her band into music publishing, currently working with a publishing company in Nashville who has been actively pitching her songs for other artists — a development that she is obviously excited about for the upcoming year.

 

For James the artist, she is embarking on a rather surprising genre-bending collaboration with guitarist Joey Barba (of the recently disbanded alt-rock band Tickle Me Pink), who has recently joined her band. “He has been co-writing with me for a couple of months now, and we just click, and I’m loving the stuff that we’re writing together.” The goal, she says, is to record a full-length album during the upcoming year.  “I’m really excited about that prospect,” she says, “because I think it will be different than anything I’ve ever released, anything [Joey] has ever done, and different than a lot of what’s going on in Denver right now.”