Q&A: Rachel Grae Honors Female Empowerment in “Raised By a Woman”
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY KIMBERLY KAPELA ☆
Photography Credit: Kirk Barnett
A LOVE LETTER TO THE WOMEN WHO RAISE MEN RIGHT — With her latest single “Raised By a Woman,” rising singer-songwriter Rachel Grae leans fully into the kind of pop anthem that’s not only catchy but culturally vital. The track is a radiant celebration of emotional intelligence, respect, and the powerful women who shape both. More than just a thank-you letter, “Raised By a Woman” is an ode to the women who raise boys to become emotionally available, vulnerable and respectful men.
In Grae’s words, “This energy is a reflection of the women who taught their sons love, vulnerability, emotional intelligence, and how to have genuine respect towards others. ‘Raised By a Woman’ encourages women to never settle for less than a man who is capable of sharing that type of love.”
Sonically, the single offers a refreshing shift for the New York area-native, showcasing a high-energy, soul-pop edge that departs from the tender ballads many fans first discovered her through. Upbeat, vibrant and undeniably self-assured, the song reveals a different side of Grae’s artistry—one that thrives on groove, grit and unapologetic clarity. It's music that feels as bold as its message.
This single follows the momentum of Grae’s first headline tour, which saw packed rooms in major cities like NYC, LA and Chicago. Her presence on stage matched the emotional force of her music—intimate yet electric, raw yet refined. Now, Grae is preparing to step onto one of the biggest stages of her career: her festival debut at Lollapalooza on August 2.
Photography Credit: Ryan Simmons
LUNA: Thank you for talking to Luna. Our readers would love to get to know you and your music more. For any readers who aren’t familiar with you yet, what kind of atmosphere or sonic world do you aim to create for your listeners?
RACHEL: A safe space is my biggest goal. I want everybody to have an outlet with any of my songs, so I write with an emotional wave of like a roller coaster of emotions, just so that you have something that you could relate to and heal from. My music is very soulful, organic pop leaning.
LUNA: Are there particular moods or themes you find yourself gravitating towards when writing and performing? How do you channel these into your music?
RACHEL: I think it's different depending on where I am in life. Right now, I've been gravitating more towards empowering songs and uplifting music, just because that's where I'm at. A lot of music in the past, when I was going through breakup songs, you have the sad ones, the mad ones, the happy, all of it. It just depends on what's going on in my life, and that's what bases off of what I write about.
LUNA: “Raised by a Woman” is such a powerful and affirming anthem. What is the inspiration behind the song and what themes and emotions do you explore?
RACHEL: It's a thank you letter to the women who raised men to hold respect for the people they're with, so just the ones that have more vulnerability and emotional intelligence. What I wanted out of it was to encourage girls to never settle for less than a man who's capable of sharing that type of love. And I hope that's what it did.
LUNA: You’ve previously described the song as a thank-you letter—was there a specific woman or influence in your life that helped shape this message?
RACHEL: I've been in relationships and I've learned what's good in a relationship and how to be treated correctly versus incorrectly, and the woman in the person's life is definitely a big reflection of how they treat me.
LUNA: What was your creative process like writing and producing this track? Did anything feel different about this one compared to your previous singles?
RACHEL: I worked with Joe Janiak and Dave Gibson and we've been working a lot together. There was an extra vulnerability and comfort in that room while I was writing this one, but we also didn't put much pressure on it. We wanted something that was fun and empowering. A lot of my songs lean more sad that's out at the moment, so it was a cool intro to a newer version of who I am and my newer sound.
LUNA: The message of encouraging women not to settle is deeply resonant. How do you hope this track impacts listeners—especially young women?
RACHEL: I want them to feel whatever they want to feel with it. I hope that it's covering the way of knowing that it's okay to have your non-negotiables in a relationship, and to never settle for anything less than what you actually want in a relationship, because there's going to be someone out there that's going to actually give you all of that and the respect that you deserve.
LUNA: With your sophomore album dropping this fall, what can listeners expect from this new era of music from you?
RACHEL: A lot of uplifting, empowering music. A lot of really deep, vulnerable music. I think there's a good mix of all of it. I write from the perspective of who I was versus who I am now, so you're getting both sides of it. It's sharing more of my life, and I'm a lot happier now, and you'll be able to hear that in the songs.
LUNA: You’re making your festival debut at Lollapalooza this year—congratulations! How are you feeling heading into that performance?
RACHEL: I’m so excited. It's been one of those that I've wanted to check off the bucket list for a while. I love music festivals, and I'm excited to be around people that all come for the music and want to have a good time.
LUNA: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like for you that you would like to share with Luna?
RACHEL: I'm actually incredibly excited. I think I'm the most excited I've ever been to release music and the new music coming out, but you should be expecting a lot more music touring and Lollapalooza. I’m going to keep giving it my all.
