Rachael Jean-Harris - A St Michaels Session tickets

Rachael Jean Harris

Our headline for this Session is the phenomenal Rachael Jean Harris who will bring an incredible band of musicians to our stage this May. 

Liverpool-born she has carved out a highly individual sound which melds folk, jazz and indie, taking inspiration from poetry, literature and inventive, thoughtful songwriters (PJ Harvey, Suzanne Vega, Esperanza Spalding).

​Musically, she was a late starter.  Early obsessions with academic and sporting success were undone by a “fearful and suffocating perfectionism” and, as she drifted into her twenties, attempts at graduate study faltered.  To the surprise of many close to her, she responded by latching onto a compulsion to make music, emulating the expression of bands and songwriters she was growing to love.  Self-taught, led by intuition, and encouraged by a few friends, she stuck with it, sought singing lessons and was encouraged by her teacher to study at The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.  It was those three years at LIPA which put her on the songwriting path. 

Since then, her creative intention has been clarified:  “To respond faithfully to the inner compulsion to write songs that pinpoint the truth and beauty of human experience and invite moments of communion, affirmation and empathy.”  

Rachael graduated with a first class degree from The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, a distinction at Masters level from the Royal Northern College of Music and is currently supported by Help Musicians UK.