Rachel Ashley Platten (born May 20, 1981) is an American pop singer and songwriter. Platten was born in New York City, but raised in Newton, Massachusetts, right outside of Boston. She was a prodigy from the start, cutting her teeth playing the piano and later joining her college's a Capella group. For the next decade, Platten would make her name through performing at a soca festival in Trinidad and joining a Prince cover band. After two albums that failed to make any impact, her 2016 release Wildfire proved to be her breakout, on the back of her top 10 smash hit "Fight Song". Although she has yet to have another hit reach that level, she has maintained a high profile on the music scene ever since.
Tropes associated with Rachel Platten include:
- Big Applesauce: "Angels in Chelsea", a song written in tribute to New York City.
- Break-Up Song: "Beating Me Up" is about a woman who is having a hard time getting over her breakup with her boyfriend even though he's been able to move on easily.
- Pep-Talk Song
- "Fight Song" is an inspirational song about overcoming any obstacles in life, such as battling a disease or recovering from a traumatic experience.
- "Better Place" is about the bond between Rachel and her sister and hoping she has a better life.
- Repurposed Pop Song: "Fight Song" was used as Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign theme song, with the new message being the fight for a woman to become President of the United States after 240 years of the office being only held by men.
