Broadway performer and Nashville recording artist Rachel Potter (“The X Factor” alumna) chatted about her new album “Stages.”
How did you approach the song selection process for ‘Stages’?
It was very important to me to revisit the moments that made me the artist I am today, through both the different stages of my life, and the many stages I have performed on. Which, of course, led me to the album title, Stages.
I started my professional career at Disney World as a performer, so “Part of Your World / Disneyland” pays tribute to that. My Broadway debut was Wednesday in The Addams Family, so “Pulled” had to be there. I honored my time in Nashville, and my old band, with “House of the Rising Sun.”
I paid tribute to becoming a mother with the Waitress medley. I honored my brother’s memory with “He Was Mine.” My very first and last Elphaba that I ever played opposite of when I was in playing Glinda in Wicked was Christine Dwyer, so I did “For Good” was necessary.
Every song had a very specific reason for being chosen and deep meaning behind it, which makes it all the more special for me to share it.
What is your personal favorite song on there and why?
It’s impossible to choose, but I think my favorite is “Maybe This Time.” That is a dream role for me, but moreover, the message is so fitting for this project and the why behind it.
So much of what hits for us as artists can be luck, timing, etc. But so much can also be a testament to hard work finally paying off. I turned 40 this year, and I have dedicated so much of my life to theater.
It feels so poetic, that after all these years chasing a record deal in Nashville, I finally got one when I decided to be my authentic self as an artist, rather than the box the music business told me to fit into. So, maybe this time, I really will be lucky.
What inspires your music and songwriting?
I have always pulled from my lived experiences as a songwriter. On all my albums featuring my songwriting, they were about the relationships or thoughts I was having at that time.
It’s like a yearbook of my old boyfriends when I look through my song catalogue. I think that’s what the kids these days call cringe? Ha! These days, being a mother is what inspires me most.
How does it feel to be a performer in the digital age? (Now with streaming, technology and social media being so prevalent)
I will admit that it has been hard. I always feel like I am so behind and there’s more I should be doing. Trends I am missing, apps I should be on, more posts I should be making. But at the end of the day, I did this project for me.
It was a passion project to bring myself joy, and to hopefully leave a little legacy my children can be proud of. Anything else is just noise.
I have gotten a lot better at social media thanks to my Gen-Z social media content guru, Joey!
What is your advice for young and emerging artists?
I think it’s important to learn the rules of the business that you are in, and play by them. But also, in the same breath, I cannot stress enough how important it is to seek and find who YOU uniquely are as an artist.
In sales, they call it a “unique selling proposition” – which essentially identifies all the good things that set you apart from the competition.
As artists, we have to lean into the things that make us great, and highlight them. Don’t be afraid to tell the world what you’re best at. Otherwise, how will they know?
Which artists would you like to do a dream duet with and why?
So many of the women I grew up listening to would be an absolute dream to collaborate with – like the late Whitney Houston, or Celine Dion and Mariah Carey.
Just to have been in the room with them in their glory days would have been a dream, let alone get to sing with one of them.
My ultimate dream collaboration these days would be Sara Bareilles. She has been my favorite singer/songwriter since 2007, and once she entered the world of musical theater, I became even more of a fan. I will be her super fan for life, and it would be a dream of mine to work with her.
I can honestly say, all the collaborations on this album were a dream come TRUE. Every person on this album is a friend, and the older I get, the more meaningful it is to work with the people I love and respect in the industry.
You can’t make old friends, as they say, and it meant the world to bring along all of these talented friends of mine along on this album journey.
What does the word success mean to you? (My favorite question)
Success to me means getting to do the things you love, getting to be with the people you love, and having time, energy and resources to seek what brings you joy.
Time is the most valuable currency, I believe. And we never know how much of it we actually have.
What would you like to tell our readers about your new album? What’s the one thing you want them to get out of it?
I want them to get joy out of it! After all, this project is a celebration – a celebration of theater, of my own journey in life and music, of my remarkable friend’s talents, of life and loss, and of taking a leap towards something that scared me.
I always knew I wanted to do a project like this, but the thought of putting myself out there again after having kids felt terrifying. This album represents a rebirth for me after entering motherhood.
My journey began as I felt I completely lost myself, only to finally find myself again, both old and new, through this art.
I hope that it will soften people’s hearts to support women, especially mothers, to continue to reach for their dreams. I stand firmly on the belief that our dreams will only inspire our children to dream bigger.
If all the world’s a stage, then let’s sing our hearts out while we still can. Thank you so much for listening!
“Stages” is available on digital service providers by clicking here.
To learn more about Rachel Potter, follow her on Instagram and visit her Linktree page.
