Photographer and Painter, Carolee Rainey has a Ricky Lee Jones Epiphany and Returns to Music with a Passion

New York-based songstress Carolee Rainey has just released her incredible new single, “Empower” off her forthcoming album, ‘Feel Fearless!’ Fusing elements of legends like Rickie Lee Jones and Stevie Nicks “Empower” is an excellent first taste of what’s to come for Rainey, who explains:
“One day when I was working out on the treadmill I started writing this song I call ‘Empower’ because the TV on the treadmill was interviewing this lady who was talking about empowerment becoming a real movement and she totally inspired me. Now, I want to pay it forward and inspire all of you to take a deep breath just like I did and tackle some unfinished dream inside your soul fearlessly. I really want to hear what you come up with. Please share with me.“

You heard the woman! Turn up your speakers, take a deep breath, and prepare to be inspired. We can’t wait to see Carolee releases next! Keep up with Carolee on Facebook, Instagram and SoundCloud!

Long ago in an earlier lifetime of performing, I did a lot of busking, playing bars, hotels and cruise ships. There were publishing deals, almost record deals, voice overs in movies and a job as A&R for Atlantic Nashville out of LA. It was a wild and rambling time.

Eventually the tides changed, and I found myself immersed in a different life of painting and photography. I believe the solitude of being a painter and the exploration of a unique style of painting offered me a different perspective to songwriting. Not sure if it's an innate sense of restlessness or if the winds were just revving up again, but eventually I put the paintbrush aside in search of a different kind of canvas and palette.

At a particularly low point when I was sure the tide would never come in again, a friend took me to a concert. The me walking into that concert became transformed and re-ignited during those life-changing 90 minutes.

Diversions LA says in their February 2018 review, Carolee Rainey Tells Listeners to Feel Fearless. "Evoking comparisons with Stevie Nicks the songs on her potent debut mini-album reflect inspirational and empowering messages lyrically. The music is solid, strongly singable, and will delightfully lodge in listeners internal musical repertoire for a long time."

Rainey says she was inspired while attending a Rickie Lee Jones concert. She found Jones’ performance transformative, and immediately began to write her own songs. “It was the next stop on the train for me,” she says.

Philosophically, Rainey says she views life as a journey. She asks that listeners tune in to her songs because “they’ve got life, wisdom and lightness even if they can get lonely and dark.”

Tight backing musicians create magnetic listenable support to Rainey, including Doug Yowell, Richard Hammond, Thad DeBrock, Everett Bradley and Clifford Carter on acoustic piano and keys. The EP was produced by Grammy and Emmy award winning producer Robert L. Smith at Defy Recordings and Avatar Studios. in their February 2018 review, Carolee Rainey Tells Listeners to Feel Fearless. "Evoking comparisons with Stevie Nicks the songs on her potent debut mini-album reflect inspirational and empowering messages lyrically. The music is solid, strongly singable, and will delightfully lodge in listeners internal musical repertoire for a long time."

Rainey says she was inspired while attending a Rickie Lee Jones concert. She found Jones’ performance transformative, and immediately began to write her own songs. “It was the next stop on the train for me,” she says.

Philosophically, Rainey says she views life as a journey. She asks that listeners tune in to her songs because “they’ve got life, wisdom and lightness even if they can get lonely and dark.”

Tight backing musicians create magnetic listenable support to Rainey, including Doug Yowell, Richard Hammond, Thad DeBrock, Everett Bradley and Clifford Carter on acoustic piano and keys. The EP was produced by Grammy and Emmy award winning producer Robert L. Smith at Defy Recordings and Avatar Studios.