Rachel Ashley Platten (born May 20, 1981, in New York City) is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is best known for her 2015 single "Fight Song". The song reached number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It also topped the chart in the UK and reached the top ten in several other countries.
Early life and education
Platten grew up in Newton, Massachusetts. She earned a BA from Trinity College.
Career
Independent years
Platten released two albums independently, Trust in Me (2003) and Be Here (2011). Her song "Work of Art" was used as the theme of the TV series Jane by Design. Several of her songs were also used in Pretty Little Liars.
Breakthrough: "Fight Song" and Wildfire
Platten signed with Columbia Records in 2015. She released "Fight Song" that year, co-writing it with Dave Bassett. She has said she wrote it to convince herself not to quit the music industry. The song was released on the Fight Song EP and on her major-label debut album Wildfire (released in January 2016). Wildfire peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200. Hillary Clinton adopted "Fight Song" as a campaign song for her 2016 presidential run.
Further singles from Wildfire followed:
- "Stand by You" (2015)
- "Better Place" (2016), co-written with Sally Seltmann
In 2016 she also released the Spanish-language duet "Siempre Estaré Ahí" with Argentine singer Diego Torres.
Waves and later work
Her second major-label album, Waves, was released on October 27, 2017. It was preceded by the singles "Broken Glass", "Perfect for You" and "Collide". In 2018 she released the single "You Belong", and she later published a children's book of the same name, You Belong.
She released her fifth studio album, I Am Rachel Platten, in 2024. She also released Fight Song (Rachel's Version) in 2025, an album of re-recorded songs including "Fight Song" and "Stand By You".
Albums
- Trust in Me (2003)
- Be Here (2011)
- Wildfire (2016)
- Waves (2017)
- I Am Rachel Platten (2024)
- Fight Song (Rachel's Version) (2025)
Personal life
Platten is married to Kevin Lazan. They have two children.