Rachel Platten

“There are a lot of people who give you the message that maybe you are not good enough, and the best thing you can do for yourself is to block out all of that noise.”

“I got a little bit lost in the writing process: like, that moment in the 'Fight Song' music video where I'm throwing the crumpled paper on the bed, that was really true life. I was filling journals with different possibilities of lyrics for the first verse. And none of them felt right.”

“When I got on stage, I felt this bolt of electricity hit me, and it was this shock of, 'This is exactly what I'm supposed to do with my life.'”

“I used to imagine working as a White House staffer some day, so it was pretty amazing to be there... realizing another dream.”

“My biggest fear is that I'm not good enough. I have this voice in my head that I've been battling for years that says, 'You're not really talented enough. You don't really deserve this.'”

“It didn't scare me to be vulnerable because I think that's when you get something great.”

“I played cover gigs and traveled the country in my mom's old car, and my drummer and I set up a fake email and sent it out to agents. We pretended to be our own agent.”

“I'm a closet outdoorsy athletic enthusiast, and I would love to do a rafting and hiking trip someday and maybe sleep in a treehouse and bathe in a chilly winding river.”

“I had my first concert in front of 80,000 people at the International Soca Monarch Finals.”

“I think my best friend is dry shampoo and dry texturizer spray.”

“Though I played classical piano since age 5 and sang in a cappella groups, being an artist didn't seem like something I was talented enough to do full time. So I kind of buried that dream.”

“I like to be supportive and a role model.”

“Music truly heals, and I am so grateful to have learned that through Musicians on Call.”

“I was a political science major in college and dreamed of being a diplomat.”

“I wish I'd gone to music school or just started playing in bands sooner.”

“I played piano growing up. I played classical piano since I was 5, and I sang in choirs, and I sang in plays and musicals.”

“I'm a fighter, and I don't take no for an answer.”

“I'm a big yogi.”

“Even if I'm making music for people for $20 a night, at least I'm making music.”

“'Stand By You' is about sticking by the person you love not only when things are easy, but being there for them during trials and letting them know they aren't alone.”