Rachel Burns

Rachel Burns

Rachel Burns truly is a Wonder Woman, figuratively and literally. The cancer-surviving mother of two has been an outspoken activist both on the streets, where for years she dressed in a Wonder Woman costume protesting the Trump administration, and in her music – using her voice as a beacon of positivity and a vessel for change. A graduate from the New England Conservatory of Music with a degree in Classical Vocal Performance, Burns has always had at least one foot in the music world, captivating audiences in Boston as well as her native Washington, DC with a mix of pop, country, jazz, and blues songs. After 25 years working in business and playing music on the side, she was ready to let her inner songbird soar.
For Burns, songwriting is her way of celebrating life and spreading joy. “The emotion of joy is a higher frequency,” she says. “I love how live music transforms an audience into joy. My concerts aim to uplift – after a few songs I love seeing people dancing and laughing! It’s so important to move our bodies. Laughter, dancing, all of that moving and shaking is really good for our bodies and our souls.” Burns brings that same animated spirit and unique personality to her sophomore EP What a Nasty Woman, a record of resilience and protesting the patriarchy while celebrating the power of feminism.
“What a Nasty Woman is about breaking through barriers of our societal conditioning-it’s a humorous call to evolve from the past.” Burns says. “There are some outright silly songs on it, but they are based on truth, putting a satirical lens on the patriarchal conditioning that we’re all used to existing within.” Blending soul, pop, country, and more, Burns’ new EP is at once theatrical and emotionally charged, with deeper meanings embedded in every song. From the hysterical to the heartfelt, What a Nasty Woman encapsulates Rachel Burns’ activism, her resilience, and her struggle. But first and foremost, it’s fun. “I think powerful messages are delivered with humor the best,” Burns says. “They’re most impactful when they’re funny; we have a southern saying, you kill a lot more flies with sugar than you do with salt. The experience of creating this record also heralds Burns’ emergence as a true bandleader, producer, and artist – owning every aspect of the creative process, from inception to release. It’s “raw, outrageous Rachel” every step of the way, and whether you’re looking to stick it to the man or just sing aloud, What a Nasty Woman is here as a form of therapy, entertainment, laughter, and truth. “I like to empower people to empower other people. I’d like to uplift us all with this project,” Burns shares. “When I would dress up as Wonder Woman, I held up a giant sign that said, ‘Time to bust out the golden lasso of truth’ in glitter. Wonder Woman’s superpower was telling the truth. The truth is really powerful; it can break down all kinds of barriers and I think that’s the kernel of a lot of my music: Truth telling. We’re going to laugh, dance, and be real – and not pussyfoot around anything!” A Wonder Woman in life and in song, Rachel Burns has without a doubt embraced her truths with a twinkle in her eye, and a tongue in her cheek.