Rachel Harnott

Rachel, with her blend of melliferous pop and guitar driven electronica, has captured many hearts even as she transfixes the mind.
As a classically trained pianist from the age of 7, Rachel was fostered in an environment of musical freedom, leading to the discovery of her emerging vocal prowess after joining the Australian Youth Choir on her 10th birthday. While this solid grounding in musicology and structure in her performance and appearance allowed a certain level of inspiration and innovation in her work, by far, the biggest influences on her sound and lyrical framework where yet to come.
During the summer of 1997 two things where to change the course of Rachel’s musical world. One, the teaming with friend, songwriter/guitarist Paul O’Leary, and the other, the beginnings of the collaboration with co-producer and engineer Simon Tonks . In what was to be a three year collaboration with Paul O’Leary, Rachel was exposed to many eclectic styles and influences, from Urban Funk, Garage Rock, and eventually Indie Folk. After many performances and many hours spent in studios all over Sydney, the collaboration ended with a series of live performances to ever growing, enthusiastic crowds.
The timing was to be portentously right. Coupling Simon Tonks’s extraordinary studio and musical talent with Rachel’s ever growing vocal colours, the scene was set to challenge contemporary music, and both of their attitudes to it. Under the expert guidance of Tonks, Rachel moved easily between soloing instrumentally and vocally, writing, producing and defining the alternating dark and light sounds that seems to permeate her tracks. Rachel’s first album “More the fool am I” is still unfinished business. The collaboration with co-producer Simon Tonks in the secluded woodland studio created a plethora of pop/rock songs. Each of the 10 tunes on the album were selected as each has its own mood and sweetly acrid taste.
After spending some years working on her writing, producing and studio vocal skills, Rachel yearned to be back on stage. After meeting Richard Coward by chance at a crowded New Years function in one of Sydney’s night spots, Rachel and Richard embarked on a 5 year “Tour of Duty” in Sydney’s pubs and clubs performing in a covers duo (Polyphonic). The 5 years included a 12month stint with The Everdaypeople Band and a footy season singing for the Sharks (NRL team) as part of Big Fish.
On the copmletion of “tour of duty”, Rachel played for Captain Cook Cruises, and was offered 2 nights a week playing the dinner cruises. Here Rachel began her love for jazz and big band music. On one of the dinner cruises Rachel was teamed with Raddy Ferreira, a fabulous pianist and a gentleman. It was Raddy’s idea to collaborate on an album of love songs inspired by the classics and standards. While work is only just beginning on this album, it promises to take some oldies and treat them with a fresh sound, while treating some contemporary songs and giving them an old school feel. The album will see Rachel record some of her most favourite songs in a format that inspires the soul.