Picturing: Rachel Sage (Left) & Kristen Ford (right)

Coming together to perform on the “Joy=Resistance” tour are two queer musicians who aren’t afraid of speaking up. Singer-songwriters Rachel Sage and Kristen Ford see music as a universal language that creates community and connection, which is exactly what they hope to bring to each city on their tour. Sage’s latest single and upcoming album, “Canopy”, keeps inclusivity and acceptance at the forefront while Ford’s new single “Wild Heart” and album “Pinto” aim to fight back against oppression. Donating a portion of the proceeds from their tour to The Trevor Project, the two musicians fight even further to create safe spaces and provide solace for those in need. To learn more about Rachel Sage, Kristen Ford, and their Joy=Resistance tour, read on.

Where are you based?
Rachel Sage: I live in the Hudson Valley in Upstate, NY, but our label MPress continues to operate out of the East Village in Manhattan — so I spend a good deal of time there too!

Kristen Ford: I’m based in East Hollywood Los Angeles.

What inspired you to pursue a career in music?
Rachel Sage: I have always wanted to be a performer and a musician as long as I understood that was something one could do for a living. My earliest memory of visualizing myself doing this professionally was watching the TV show "Solid Gold" and imagining hosting the show, performing as a dancer and also a musician on it, too! I had very big dreams from a very young age, ha! Eventually after I started writing my own songs and recognizing that music had the power to genuinely move people and "win them over" to understanding, so to speak, I was hooked.

As a young ballet dancer I received an informal but intensive musical education as well, listening to all the great Classical composers, alongside Carole King and Billy Joel via my mom, and plenty of doo-wap and The Beatles, from my Dad. In high school and later in college I discovered folk and alternative music in the form of contemporary writers like Indigo Girls, Ani DiFranco, Suzanne Vega, Sarah McLachlan and Sinéad O'Connor, and it very much shifted my perspective of what "pop" music could be and the consciousness it could create in the listener. So, I have all of these "roots" in music and somehow they all inspired me to do what I do, now!

Kristen Ford: I’ve always wanted to be an entertainer.

What led you two to make the decision to tour together - "Joy=Resistance" Tour?
Rachel Sage: Kristen actually reached out to me, somewhat out of the blue after seeing my poster in a club I played years ago in LA, and we realized we had a lot of musical friends and supporters in common. An initial zoom call turned into a "let's book a tour" call, and very quickly it was obvious we shared a collective sensibility and mindset that our tour could do more than just promote our respective new releases; it could be a community-builder and a roaming safe haven via music, wherever we showed up – a concert featuring uplifting, joyful, celebratory energy and offering creative shelter to anyone feeling the weight of our cultural strife right now, and in the world at large. Especially for our LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities, it has felt like open season on the vulnerable, the marginalized and the easily-scapegoated. Music is so powerful and is truly a universal language and a way to express, but also to listen, actually. When I play on stage I'm always listening — to my fellow musicians and of course to the audience. They are the other members in my band — we couldn't do what we do without them and after only a few weeks touring together, I'm certain Kristen feels the same way!

Kristen Ford: Joy=Resistance came out of a shared desire and hunger to tear it up out there! I love the collaboration between Righteous Babe and MPress Records artists. Rachael and I have many layers of shared connections and experiences. It’s been a blast.

How would you describe your music styles? Are there any artists in particular that inspire the musical choices you make?
Rachel Sage: I would describe my style as "chamber-folk-pop" or "Americana-Pop". I have seen Kristen describe her music in print as alternative-rock, folk-pop and pop-rock but I should certainly let her speak for herself! A few things we seem to have in common musically would be: a penchant for off-the-cuff lyrical improvisation; a strong affinity for melody (especially in the chorus!); and a balance between serious, emotionally reflective songwriting and more upbeat, romantic, and light-hearted subject matter. I would describe us both as irrepressible spirits, but also highly sensitive persons... so even though our music is very different stylistically, I think that's a lot of why this co-bill "works". We've also been playing a lot on each other's songs live, which is so much fun and a bit new for me!

These days, to be honest, I'm influenced more by visual art, TV and film - along with topical subject matter from current events and my community friends and peers - than any particular musicians. I live a lot of my life in silence actually, because I find it increasingly difficult to hear music and do anything else at the same time. But that said, I also run a record label and of course I have a specific passion for the artists we nurture and promote on MPress including the brilliant and wildly talented Grace Pettis – a very classic-sounding Americana/folk artist who tours constantly, along with our resident rocker, guitarist/singer-songwriter James Mastro who's currently on tour with Marshall Crenshaw. My all-time favorite singer-songwriters include Elvis Costello, Glen Hansard, Marc Cohn and Maria McKee. But of course being a part of the indie and folk live music scenes, I'm constantly encountering excellent new music that inspires me... even if I don't tend to listen to it at home!

Kristen Ford: My music is like a polar bear skiing down a mountain wearing 3d glasses listening to live Japanese Kate Bush bootlegs on cassette. I’m inspired by Radiohead, Ani Difranco, Alanis Morrisette, and Janelle Monae.

Photo Credits: Anna Azarov
Picturing: Rachel Sage

Rachel, congratulations on your new single “Canopy”. The song touches on themes of nonviolence and inclusivity. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the song? What do you hope listeners take away from this song?
"Canopy" is probably one of the most direct songs I've ever written; the very first line proposes that a world run by women would inherently be less violent, and I stand by that even though we may not witness that in our lifetime. When we perceive violence so frequently as "the norm" and see it on the news, on social media and beyond, there's a danger that we may become numb to it. I think the same goes true for violence against our precious planet and there's a reason we call her Mother Earth — which is because we wouldn't exist or survive without her. So why do we throw her away, just like we do with the women, largely, in so many societies who struggle so much more to be acknowledged, let alone treated humanely? When we shift our treatment toward women and honor them as equals that necessarily means listening to their ideas, and there is so much resistance to that that continues to set the world, its children and Mother Nature, literally, ablaze.

I live in such a beautiful, nature-filled town now Upstate and there are days when I take for granted how lovely and calm it is to walk in the woods, to look at a mountain, to see wildflowers just growing along a path. As a city-girl by nature, I lived in NYC for over 25 years years straight and I can attest to how tempting it can be to shut out the violence and suffering in one's midst. I believe most violence we encounter stems from some form of fear – including the fear of losing power – and most fear stems from lack of meaningful, substantive dialogue and communication, or the acute lack of resources to survive, let alone to thrive. The concept of the canopy as I'm trying to describe and sing about it in the title track from my album is essentially a plea to loosen the grip of the old ways, the "tough-love" systems masking so many forms of oppression that have had decidedly mixed results (understatement) – and to allow for new voices, new perspectives, and an evolution away from the cycles of violence we constantly witness on micro and macro levels, in society.

How do we open up our own lenses wider than we're used to? Instead of cancelling each other can we re-learn how to speak and to listen without attacking one another? I love the visual image of a canopy because the sides are open, and anyone can come in or leave at will but if you're under it, you're sheltered together with other people and you're sharing that experience. It's a powerful metaphor for being willing to come together as individuals to create positive change, that will benefit all. All of that is long-hand for "doing less harm" – the great, big-picture hope!

What can listeners expect to hear from your upcoming album also titled “Canopy”?
Rachel Sage: The new album is probably my most eclectic, since "The Blistering Sun". It's been a very up-and-down, roller-coaster few years and this group of tracks certainly reflects that, but it's also a distinct step away from me writing about my personal life - such as on my cancer-recovery-themed album "Character" or the post-pandemic, triumph-themed "The Other Side".

Most of the songs on the record encompass the themes of safety, inclusiveness, acceptance and non-violence. The instrumentation is sometimes very layered and "kitchen-sink"(Just Enough, Live It Up, Kill The Clock), but other songs merited a more stripped-down approach (God Bless America, Underneath), depending on the subject-matter. When I step back, now that it's mixed and I have some distance, I think it's a very American album in the sense that it's stylistically all over the map, and a diverse mix of instrumentation. There are folky guitars and accordions and classical strings alongside celebratory horns and soulful organ. All the players are either rotating members of my band The Sequins or recurring guest musicians who've now become good friends. Some are far-flung, but most live in close-ish proximity to me and everyone showed up, in person, to have this experience and to play together. In this day and age, that's actually pretty rare!

Rachel, you also just released another new single titled “Just Enough”. The song spreads messages of love and embraces connection with those around you and with yourself. What was the inspiration behind it? Why is love and connection with others important to you?
Rachel Sage: "Just Enough" is the first track on the new album and as the title suggests, it's about being comfortable in your own skin enough to share and spread that self-love with others in your life, freely and unconditionally. It really is true that if you love and respect yourself you'll have more light to give and the song was released during Pride month which made it extra special. The video will be coming out very soon, and features a lot of NYC-based creatives, performers – musicians and actors – and the good vibes and colorful, artistic spirit on set was off the charts!

Photo Credits: Lisa Hause
Picturing: Kristen Ford

Kristen, congratulations on your new single “Wild Heart”. Can you tell us about what inspired the song?
Kristen Ford: Wild Heart is a rawr back at oppression. Come for the trans community you come for all of us mother fucker. It’s very fun to perform live. Gender is a spectrum and I am enjoying watching the boundaries fall away. The conservatives can try and put a stop to expression and freedom and kids waking up to who they truly are, but there’s not putting the toothpaste back in the tube. I co-wrote this with Ani Difranco and we tried to make the music video tell a narrative different from my own walk of life. I like screaming “give me a tampon” live. Bloody good lyrics.

The music video for “Wild Heart” is a story against oppression and a vibrant celebration of the queer community and inclusivity. What do you hope listeners and viewers take away from this new song and video?
Kristen Ford: I hope the video creates a multiverse version of the USA where we don’t have to agree, but we can respect one another. I’m glad there’s a happy ending.

Kristen, your new album “Pinto” is said to be your most uplifting and political one yet. What inspired this album? What can listeners expect to hear from it?
Kristen Ford: Pinto is everything I’ve ever wanted to create in an album, but didn’t have the resources or balls to do in the past. Listeners should turn it up and catch song one to song twelve sequenced by Ani D the set list queen herself. I have a lot in common with a Pinto horse. Also Kristen Ford Pinto = explosive.

As queer artists yourselves, spreading musical messages of inclusivity is important to the both of you. What do you hope to see in the future for the music industry relating to representation and inclusivity?
Rachel Sage: I have been doing this a very long time, and 17 albums in I think there are still a lot of doors to be opened and glass-ceilings to be broken in terms of representation and access, but I will say, I have seen things moving in the right direction recently, in the Music Industry (the same can't be said for our country at large, oy!). Concrete examples would include: I am encountering more women and queer people in the live music and recording spaces, from engineers to producers and presenters; all of that was virtually non-existent when I first started, and being a woman who wasn't *only* a performer was a downright novelty. Along the way though, I think it's helpful and important to remember that there have been women and queer people who have opened doors for others along the way, who deserve to be honored and acknowledged. For me, it was Carole King – a Jewish, female writer and performer like me! – who showed me I could do this...then decades later Lisa Loeb had a #1 hit as an indie artists and then Sarah McLachlan/Lilith Fair set the stage for me expanding my record label and releasing stylistically diverse compilations and producing events at SXSW and other festivals, where most acts were on major labels but eventually that shifted and now look how powerful and diverse independent music has become?

One thing I will say I profoundly miss is organizations like OUTMusic, GoGirls and Indiegrrl which were so nurturing and supportive of emerging and established indie musicians. These were incredibly inclusive, encouraging but ambitious scenes that gave so many types of musicians a platform to present their work. While I've done my best to keep MPress going for almost 30 years now, I do worry sometimes that younger female and queer artists are not receiving that broader support from mentors and more established peers, perhaps because everyone is looking to social media now for that type of validation. But sharing spaces with up-and-coming artists who are totally different musically, but all share a common creed of acceptance and lifting one another up – a rising tide lifts all boats – seems to be perceived as "nostalgic" at the moment. I think this question is so important and thanks for getting me thinking on how we can do better, evolve and lead the way to an even more inclusive Music Industry. I'm glad The Grammys® are finally making a concerted effort to be more inclusive, but for indie artists like ourselves I think it starts with the effort to be as welcoming as possible at our own shows... so thanks for spreading the word about our "Joy = Resistance Tour"! Some of the shows are All Ages, so no doubt there are some young, talented folks listening who will hopefully carry the creative torch in new and exciting directions!

Kristen Ford: The music industry is a jungle. I want to hear more Amazon warrior women. And capybara, they are adorbs. Also, pride month isn’t long enough when it’s your life and folks rights are being stripped away.

Picturing: Kristen Ford (left) & Rachel Sage (right)

We love that a portion of the proceeds from this tour will be donated to The Trevor Project! Can you tell us a little bit about this organization and what made you choose to partner with them?
Rachel Sage: I've been aware of – and personally supported – The Trevor Project for many years, since the late '90's. They do wonderful and vital work focusing on suicide prevention for the LGBTQ+ community, and provide confidential assistance and counseling via a toll-free telephone number. They are literally saving lives — and especially in the current political landscape, we need to support organizations like this that have been losing funding and facing more and more obstacles. On a personal front, I lost my very first musical collaborator to suicide, because he was afraid of the repercussions of coming out to his parents as being gay. Another very close friend of mine who identifies as non-binary attempted suicide multiple times; they weren't aware of an organization like The Trevor Project but, no doubt, if they had been they would have called and found support and solace. I have actually never met anyone directly affiliated with them, but it will be an honor to donate a portion of the proceeds from this tour to support their amazing work – and hopefully we will connect in-person soon!

What advice do you have for anyone a part of the LGBTQIA+ community who might be fearful for the future? How can our readers help work to promote connection, inclusivity, and representation?
Rachel Sage: The best advice I can give has always been the best advice given to me: Be bold, be Out and proud if you feel you can do so safely, because it provides that shelter and space for others to come out and feel less alone. But if you don't feel comfortable or safe to do so, trust yourself, trust your instincts and don't rush or push yourself to do so because of external pressure.

Each one of us can be that friend, that safety net, that safe space so when someone is able and ready to confide or come out, we are there to support them! As far as fear, well, I would say let's try not to judge those who are feeling or expressing it the most, but rather to stand up and be as vocal as we can, IF we can, on behalf of the most vulnerable, precious members of our community. We are not going anywhere, we are going to continue to stand together, lift up one another, push on all possible fronts for justice and human rights and especially: vote, vote, vote!! We can all be leaders in different ways in our communities if we feel able to, whether through supporting non-profits like The Trevor Project, or just calling a friend who may be isolated or scared. Write your poems, sing your songs, display your flag, and remember you are so loved!! And of course, if you can think of any way I can help, count me in!

Kristen Ford: As Harvey Milk put it, come out come out wherever you are. Together we are strong.

Are there any upcoming projects you are currently working on that we should be on the lookout for?
Rachel Sage: I have several fun and dynamic official music videos coming out this summer and am currently in the process of completing them! Beyond that, I'll be delving into some acoustic versions of songs from Canopy once I have a bit of time off later this summer, and then working on a live record to help celebrate the 30th Anniversary of MPress Records – so...keeping busy and creative!

Kristen Ford: Really excited for Pinto and the accompanying tour.

It has been a rough few years, and we expect at least four more. How have you been staying positive?
Rachel Sage: By going on tour with Kristen Ford (and some other wonderful artists like Jocelyn McKenzie), singing our feelings, and sticking together! Also, I've been painting a lot — which definitely helps.

Kristen Ford: I try to avoid the news and listen to uplifting content instead. Playing music for people in rooms, connecting with fans face to face, I'll take any day over doom scrolling.

What is your motto in life?
Rachel Sage: "Go where the love is!"

Kristen Ford: My great-grandfather said "It's a problem?...skip it"

To learn more about Rachel Sage and Kristen Ford, please check out the links below:
Rachel Sage:

Instagram: @rachel_sage
The Trevor Project
Rainbow Mind
Foundation for Women's Cancer
Artists for Action

Kristen Ford:

Instagram: @kristenfordmusic
Hop On A Cure
Nashville Launchpad
IMA