Meet Rachel AO | Singer/Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rachel AO and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachel, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
I was in the car listening to NPR one morning and there were two songwriters being interviewed. Unfortunately I did not catch their names but they were successful songwriters who had a number of hits. One of the songwriters talked about their career and journey in the industry, and how it came with it’s many ups and downs. There were times where quitting seemed to be the solution to the endless no’s and doors closed but this songwriter did not give up and kept writing until one day, they wrote a song that was a massive success and changed their life forever. He then said the quote: “Don’t quit before the miracle”. This inspired me deeply to continue to keep writing songs because you never know when one of your songs will be a success.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a vocalist, songwriter, actor, and visual artist. I do a lot by myself when it comes to my music. As an independent artist I am very hands on with the entire process from writing the songs, producing the songs along side of producers, creating promotional materials digitally using my own photography, and creating album art.

It wasn’t easy to get to where I’m at now. It took a lot of hustling. When I first moved to Los Angeles from Michigan in 2021 I knew very few people in the industry. I took it upon myself to make contacts via social media before I moved, setting up appointments to meet producers and tour studios, and meeting other artists in the area. I hit the ground running when I got to Los Angeles and had to do a lot of networking to establish relationships within the industry. I also put out ads on Criegslist to create a band. I would meet with various musicians and held auditions having them play through some of my music. This process was not easy but it was a great learning experience. Now I have a great group of musicians I work with and perform with. I’m the band manager, booker, and lead performer and songwriter. It’s a lot of work wearing all of these hats, but when you have a passion it’s all worth it.

With everything that I’ve done thus far I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is to have patience. Not everything is going to work out right away. It takes time to develop your craft and also to develop solid connections with people. You’ve got to relax (try to) and let things manifest.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We would have brunch in Malibu at Malibu Farms on the pier, then head to Topanga Canyon for a hike in the Red Rock Trail Head. We would then head back on the PCH and head to Vintage Grocers and pick up some snacks and explore the sea caves of Leo Carrillo State Beach. At night we would venture to the iconic Baked Potato Jazz and Blues Bar in Studio City for some Jazz music and massive baked potatoes.

Website: www.rachelao.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamrachelao/

Twitter: https://www.instagram.com/iamrachelao/

Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/iamrachelao/

Youtube: https://www.instagram.com/iamrachelao/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7i0QCr97C1SmZSZb9jdwB0

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/rachel-ao/1605239256

Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@iamrachelao

Image Credits
@geremygood Kate Kotlyar @katekotphotography