You may remember the name Rachel Reinert from her days in the hit country vocal group, Gloriana. Gloriana formed in 2008 when Rachel was just 18 years old and went on to have a successful run on country radio. They opened for Taylor Swift and saw chart success with singles like “Can’t Shake You” and “(Kissed You) Good Night.” But on the heels of success, the country songstress knew she needed to stay true to herself, and left the band to get back to her dream of being a solo artist.

On Thursday night, the former Gloriana member debut several stripped-down new songs to the crowd at Rockwood Music Hall in New York City. She opened with her first solo single, “Cool,” a song she said, “is about first love and heartbreak, and coming out on the other side of it.” As the night got started, she told the crowd how excited she was to be in New York, because this is a time in her life she’s really hopeful about. “I just got married, actually less than four weeks ago. I turned 30, and signed a new record deal — so it’s one of those crazy, great years I’m excited about.”

She launched into a new track called, “Secret,” which explores the burgeoning anticipation around a new romance. Then Reinert opened up to the audience, sharing the story of her last four years. After spending most of her young adult years feeling like she was chasing after someone else’s dreams, she finally made a choice to leave the group. But leaving came with its own set of obstacles that made her feel forgotten and lost by the people that had once supported her. “The whole journey was the inspiration for the next song,” she told the crowd. “I felt like I was existing in the dark and had this light within me, but people hadn’t had the chance to see it yet.”  The beauty of “Dark Star” is its authenticity. It’s a track that doesn’t shy away from ego and disappointment. Reinert strips away the veneer of success and fame to show the other side. The darker side. With flawless vocals on top of everything else.

Next up was the romantic ode to her husband, “Some Kind of Angel,” followed by the in-disguise love song, “Kiss On The Cheek.” “This is about someone in the business world that kept stringing me along,” Reinert smirked as she started the “sneaky little diddy.” Her cover of the Foo Fighters, “Learn to Fly,” was another highlight of the evening. A nod to the classic rock song while fully rooted in who she is as an artist. Soft, sweet, and vocally pristine. She wrapped up the acoustic set with her newest single, “All We Have,” the culmination of the four years that brought her to the present moment in New York. It’s about learning to let go of the ego and fame, and instead focusing on the love around you. Last up was “Ocean,” a track that feels like what it must be like to fight against the tide and come out on the other side.

Rachel Reinert’s album is expected to be released in the Spring of 2020.

Until then, you can find her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

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