Rachael Yamagata
- Actress
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Husky-voiced singer, songwriter, pianist, and guitarist Rachael
Yamagata was born on September 23, 1977 in Arlington, Virginia. Her
father is a Japanese-American attorney and Harvard graduate who works
in Washington, D.C. while her mother is a German-Italian artist and
painter based in New York City. Rachael has a twin brother named Benji.
Her half brother Josh Ruben is an actor and director. Yamagata's
parents divorced when she was two years old. She graduated from the
Holton-Arms School for Girls in Bethesda, Maryland. Rachael attended
both Vassar and Northwestern University. Yamagata was a vocalist for
the Chicago, Illinois funk-fusion band Bumpus for six years. In 2001
she left the group to pursue a solo career. Yamagata released her
self-titled debut EP in October, 2002. This was followed by her first
full-length album "Happenstance," which was released in June, 2004 on
the RCA label. A gifted musician with a special knack for mature and
thoughtful lyrics, Yamagata alternates between beautifully sad and
poignant ballads and more dynamic and exciting all-out rock tunes with
equal skill and conviction. Her songs have not only been featured on
episodes of such TV series as "Grey's Anatomy," "30 Rock," "ER," "Men
in Trees," "How I Met Your Mother," "One Tree Hill," "The O.C."
(Rachael also appeared as herself on this particular show), "So You
Think You Can Dance?," and "Smallville," but also on the soundtracks
for a handful of films that include ""in Her Shoes," "Prime,"
"Monster-in-Law," "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," "Hotel For
Dogs," and "Trust the Man." She co-wrote the song "Ladies' Choice" for
Mandy Moore and has toured in concert with Moore. Among the artists
Yamagata has sung vocals with are Jason Mraz, Rhett Miller, Ryan Adams,
and Dan Wilson. Rachael has toured in America, England, and Japan. She
released her second album "Elephants ... Teeth Sinking Into Heart" on
October 7, 2008 on the Warner Bros. Records label.
