When Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song” became an anthem for millions, it marked a turning point in her career. What started as a personal declaration of resilience turned into a global phenomenon. But with that success came a new level of pressure that she had never experienced before.
“After it happened, I was in the process of making my second record,” the 42-year-old singer-songwriter told Flow Space in an exclusive interview to discuss her new album, I Am Rachel Platten. “Suddenly, I knew people were listening, and that felt like a gigantic responsibility. When I wrote ‘Fight Song,’ I was just an indie artist writing music for myself in my fifth-floor walk-up in Greenwich Village, trying to stay motivated and keep believing in this dream.”
What do people need from the ‘Fight Song’ girl next?
The shift was profound. Platten, who once wrote music solely for herself, now had an audience. This realization heavily influenced the creation of her second album, Waves.
“I was really cognizant of the fact, like, ‘What do people need from the Fight Song girl next?’ It felt like a heavy weight—a privilege, but not always helpful for an artist trying to tap into that flow of consciousness that helps me write my best work.”
However, Platten’s latest record marks a significant departure from that pressure. For her, recording the album was a complete reset.
“I didn’t think for one second about what the world needed from me,” she says. “Songwriting became deeply personal, a healing process, and a response to my heart’s cry and longing. I think that’s when you’re truly able to reach people.”
Finding healing through music
After the birth of her now seven-month-old daughter, Sophie Jo, Platten says she experienced postpartum depression. With the help of therapy and songwriting, Platten says she’s in a much better place and is ready to share her journey with others. The songstress, who also has a three-year-old daughter, Violet Skye, with her husband Kevin Lazan, says she chose to share her mental health journey on the album as a way to connect with others who may be going through similar challenges.
“The whole album is me integrating the dark and the light, because it’s not only darkness. People who have listened to it have said it felt like a spiritual experience of release. That’s what I want—to reach into the darkness and acknowledge that you’re there, that it hurts, and that being human is hard. It’s hard to be a woman, hard to be a mother. But I want to say, ‘Yeah, you’re not alone in that. It’s hard for me too.'”
As she navigates the changes in her body and mental health, Platten’s perspective has shifted, especially as she enters into a new phase of her life: perimenopause.
Embracing the shift of perimenopause
“I’m starting to accept my new body, my new abilities, my new lines and even the extra weight around my bra line,” she says. “If I hadn’t just gone through what I did, I might be a lot more devastated about being five pounds heavier. But after making it through this mental health battle, I just love my body so much. I’m proud of her for not having pain anymore, for getting up, exercising, dancing, moving and singing. I tell my body all the time, ‘Hey, honey, I love you.'”
As Platten transitions into menopause, she says she’s able to accept what is. This acceptance is something Platten hopes to pass on to her daughters.
“I want them to know it’s OK to have crow’s feet, to have lines in your forehead. That’s beautiful. That’s part of aging. And why is aging so bad?”
There’s no denying Platten’s journey has been one of transformation, resilience and profound self-acceptance. Through her music and her life, she continues to inspire others to embrace their own journeys with grace and courage. When asked what she would tell her younger self if she had the opportunity, a smile spreads across her face.
“I would tell her there are going to be really hard times and really scary times ahead, but I wouldn’t wish her out of it. She’s going to be forged in that fire,” Platten says. “The sooner she can accept what is reality, the sooner she can start to receive the beautiful benefits that come from the pain.”