Scarlett Rabe On Strength of “Battle Cry” Single, Scarlett Rabe Winning the Fight for National Attention

“Battle Cry” was recently added to radio stations across Colorado, Missouri and the East Coast. The song is an anthem that features lyrics of female empowerment and endurance. When asked by American Songwriter which of her songs she is most proud of, “Battle Cry” immediately came to mind: “The song is very emotional and powerful for me. It’s the first time I could say the things I said with that kind of conviction.” “Battle Cry” has already received airplay on stations such as KSPN in Aspen, CO, KBAC in Santa Fe, NM, and KCLC in St. Louis, MO. Stations in Virginia and New Jersey will begin playing the song next week.

Scarlett’s first exposure to pop and rock music came from secretly listening to the radio as a child. Her parents did not allow her to watch television or listen to the radio. Instead, they preached the classical arts. Scarlett described to American Songwriter the effects of her strict upbringing on how she interprets music: “There are a lot of social and cultural cues that we absorb through music and pop culture – some subliminally and some very consciously. Those were never there for me, which always made me feel a bit of a void. I’d say the most dramatic shaping happened as I started to experience everything at once. I ingested music voraciously and as comprehensively as I could, and I still do.” According to Scarlett, the effects of this thorough consumption of music are that “there are no lines for me, no boundaries, no context – just the songs and the music for what they are.” 

Based in Los Angeles, Scarlett claims as her songwriting heroes Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and Carole King. She cites pianists like Bella Davidovich and Vladimir Horowitz as her classical influences, while more modern giants such as Elton John, Tori Amos, and Ray Charles inspire Scarlett in how they “completely own the piano, but in their own unique way.” Much like these icons, Scarlett is extremely hands-on as it pertains to her career: “There’s a lot more than just writing music that goes on behind the scenes. I’m a pretty comprehensive girl, and I’m very intense. So for me, this is a constant focus, and I’m involved with every single aspect.” 
 
Scarlett is currently preparing for four live performances along the West Coast: