# Rachael Yamagata

Rachael Amanda Yamagata (born September 23, 1977) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist from Arlington, Virginia. She began her musical career with the band Bumpus before becoming a solo artist and releasing five EPs and four studio albums. Her songs have appeared on numerous television shows and she has collaborated with Jason Mraz, Rhett Miller, Bright Eyes, Ryan Adams, Toots and the Maytals, Ray Lamontagne and Matt Nathanson.

## Early life and education

Yamagata was born to a Japanese American father and an Italian-German mother and grew up with comedian-actor Josh Ruben as a half-brother. She graduated from the Holton-Arms School and attended Northwestern University and Vassar College.

## Career

Yamagata became the vocalist for the Chicago group Bumpus and spent six years touring, writing and recording with the band before leaving in 2001 to begin a solo career. In September 2002, she obtained a two-record deal with Arista's Private Music and her self-titled EP produced by Malcolm Burn, Rachael Yamagata EP was released in October. Her first full-length album, Happenstance, followed in 2004. The album was produced by John Alagía at Compass Point Studios. Between 2003 and 2005, Yamagata played venues such as Amoeba Records and The Hotel Café, both in Hollywood.
Yamagata was featured on the album True Love by Toots and the Maytals, which won the Grammy Award in 2004 for Best Reggae Album, and showcased many notable musicians including Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Trey Anastasio, Gwen Stefani / No Doubt, Ben Harper, Bonnie Raitt, Manu Chao, The Roots, Ryan Adams, Keith Richards, Toots Hibbert, Paul Douglas, Jackie Jackson, Ken Boothe, and The Skatalites.
Yamagata toured with Mandy Moore and contributed a song to Moore's 2007 album, Wild Hope.
In May 2008, Yamagata released a three-song EP, Loose Ends. Her second full-length album Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart was released in October 2008. Billboard characterized the album as much darker and sadder in tone than its predecessor. That month, her two-song live acoustic video performance appeared on LiveDaily Sessions and featured the songs "Faster" and "Sunday Afternoon". In April 2009, Yamagata performed her song "Elephants" on the television drama One Life to Live.
Yamagata digitally released a new album in the fall of 2011 through Pledgemusic. Her third studio album Chesapeake was released through Frankenfish Records in October 2011. In 2012 Yamagata released her next EP called Heavyweight. Yamagata has appeared numerous times as a guest vocalist for other artists including: Jason Mraz's "Did You Get My Message?", "Fireflies" and "The Believer" by Rhett Miller, on Toots & the Maytals's album True Love, the song "Barfly" by Ray Lamontagne, and several songs on Ryan Adams' Cold Roses album. She contributed vocals to six songs on the Bright Eyes album Cassadaga. Yamagata contributed writing, keyboards and vocals to the song "Kaleidoscope" by Jill Cunniff a former member of Luscious Jackson. Yamagata also performs with an ensemble cast on the 30 Rock episode "Kidney Now!" The soundtrack for the film Dear John features the song "You Take My Troubles Away", Yamagata's duet with Dan Wilson. She also performs the Muppets song "I'm Going to Go Back There Someday" on a cover album, Muppets: The Green Album.
Yamagata again partnered with PledgeMusic for her album Tightrope Walker, released on September 23, 2016. She also offered an acoustic digital version of Happenstance as a pledge reward.

## Personal life

Yamagata has a twin brother, Benji. Her half brother, Josh Ruben, is an actor and director who worked for CollegeHumor.

## Discography
### Studio albums

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | KOR | US |
| Happenstance | Released: June 8, 2004 Label: RCA Victor | 40 | — |
| Elephants...Teeth Sinking into Heart | Released: October 7, 2008 Label: Warner Bros. Records | — | 53 |
| Chesapeake | Released: October 11, 2011 Label: Frankenfish | 13 | 122 |
| Acoustic Happenstance | Released: April 23, 2016 Label: Sony Music | 47 | — |
| Tightrope Walker | Released: September 23, 2016 Label: Frankenfish | 32 | — |

### Compilation albums

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | KOR |
| The Very Best of Rachael Yamagata | Released: August 22, 2014 Label: Sony Music | 67 |

### Extended plays

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | KOR |
| EP | Released: October 7, 2003 Label: RCA Records | — |
| Live at the Loft & More | Released: January 26, 2005 Label: BMG | — |
| Loose Ends | Released: May 22, 2008 Label: Warner Bros. Records | — |
| Heavyweight EP | Released: November 20, 2012 Label: Frankenfish | 44 |
| Porch Songs EP | Released: October 12, 2018 Label: Sony Music | 91 |

### Singles

| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Sales | Album |
| Title | Year | KOR | KOR Intl. | US Adult | Sales | Album |
| "Worn Me Down" | 2003 | — | — | 33 | | EP |
| "Letter Read" | 2004 | — | — | — | | Happenstance |
| "1963" | 2004 | — | — | — | | Happenstance |
| "Be Be Your Love" | 2004 | 26 | 1 | — | KOR: 1,635,206 | Happenstance |
| "River" | 2005 | — | — | — | | Live at the Loft & More |
| "Elephants" | 2008 | — | — | — | | Elephants...Teeth Sinking into Heart |
| "Faster" | 2008 | — | — | — | | Elephants...Teeth Sinking into Heart |
| "Sunday Afternoon" | 2008 | — | — | — | | Elephants...Teeth Sinking into Heart |
| "Starlight" | 2011 | — | — | — | | Chesapeake |
| "Even If I Don't" | 2011 | — | — | — | | Chesapeake |
| "You Won't Let Me" | 2011 | — | 12 | — | KOR: 337,397 | Chesapeake |
| "Nothing Gets By Here" | 2012 | — | 6 | — | KOR: 53,513 | Heavyweight EP |
| "I'm Not in Love" (10cc cover) | 2014 | — | 28 | — | KOR: 10,053 | The Very Best of Rachael Yamagata |
| "Nobody" | 2016 | — | — | — | | Tightrope Walker |
| "Over" | 2016 | — | — | — | | Tightrope Walker |
| "Let Me Be Your Girl" | 2016 | — | — | — | | Tightrope Walker |
| "Be Somebody's Love" | 2018 | — | — | — | | Porch Songs EP |
| "It's Always the Little Things" (with Guo Ding) | 2018 | — | — | — | | Non-album single |

### Original soundtrack contributions

| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Album |
| Title | Year | KOR Intl. | Sales | Album |
| "I Wish You Love" | 2005 | — | | Prime OST |
| "Jesus Was a Cross Maker" (Judee Sill cover) | 2005 | — | | Elizabethtown OST |
| "He Needs a Kidney" (with various artists) (from 30 Rock) | 2009 | — | | Non-album single |
| "Hand of God" | 2012 | — | | That's What She Said OST |
| "Let's Begin Again" (with John Medeski) (Robert Altman cover) | 2014 | — | | Altman OST |
| "Something in the Rain" | 2018 | 10 | | Something in the Rain OST |
| "La La La" | 2018 | 31 | | Something in the Rain OST |
| "No Direction" | 2019 | — | | One Spring Night OST |
| "Is It You" | 2019 | — | | One Spring Night OST |
| "We Could Still Be Happy" | 2019 | — | | One Spring Night OST |

### Other soundtrack appearances

Yamagata's songs have appeared in a number of films and television shows. These include:
| Title | Year | Media |
| "1963" | 2005 | Monster-in-Law |
| "1963" | 2015 | November Rule |
| "Be Be Your Love" | 2004 | One Tree Hill |
| "Be Be Your Love" | 2005 | The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants |
| "Be Be Your Love" | 2005 | Trust the Man |
| "Be Be Your Love" | 2006 | Brothers & Sisters |
| "Be Be Your Love" | 2009 | So You Think You Can Dance |
| "Be Be Your Love" | 2011 | So You Think You Can Dance |
| "Be Be Your Love" | 2012 | Wilsberg |
| "Be Somebody's Love" | 2018 | Something in the Rain |
| "Blister of the Spotlight" (with Ashtar Command) | 2008 | Ugly Betty |
| "Brown Eyes" | 2009 | Grey's Anatomy |
| "Collide" | 2005 | In Her Shoes |
| "Don't" | 2009 | Private Practice |
| "Duet" | 2008 | Brothers & Sisters |
| "Duet" | 2009 | Grey's Anatomy |
| "Elephants" | 2009 | One Life to Live |
| "Elephants" | 2010 | Gravity |
| "Elephants" | 2015 | The Vampire Diaries |
| "Horizon" | 2009 | One Tree Hill |
| "I Don't Want to Be Your Mother" | 2012 | Hope Springs |
| "I Want You" | 2006 | Men in Trees |
| "I'll Find a Way" | 2005 | ER |
| "Keep Going" | 2015 | The Vampire Diaries |
| "Meet Me by the Water" | 2006 | Bella |
| "The Other Side" | 2008 | The L Word |
| "Paper Doll" | 2005 | Trust the Man |
| "Quiet" | 2006 | How I Met Your Mother |
| "Quiet" | 2023 | Ted Lasso |
| "The Reason Why" | 2004 | Smallville |
| "The Reason Why" | 2005 | The O.C. |
| "The Reason Why" | 2008 | Cashmere Mafia |
| "The Reason Why" | 2009 | Hotel for Dogs |
| "The Reason Why" | 2009 | Brain Drain |
| "Saturday Morning" | 2020 | Scare Me |
| "Sunday Afternoon" | 2010 | One Tree Hill |
| "The Way It Seems to Go" | 2013 | Lucky Them |
| "Worn Me Down" | 2003 | Miss Match |
| "Worn Me Down" | 2004 | The O.C. |