| "I get off
the stage with two other musicians and David comes up to me
and tells me if I can be in New York on Friday I could open
for him at Madison Square Garden. Though it would have to
be me on my own playing on his piano. That's how it happened.
I was so shocked by the Detroit gig that playing to eighteen
thousand seemed horrific but once you start increasing like
that it becomes surreal. You detach from it, almost in a way
from the amount of pressure that's on you. I went and did
my thing. People were great they loved it. That was one experience
where you would figure here's this girl who's just got signed.
She's out in front of a sold out crowd at the Madison Square
Garden. If she even makes it to the piano and doesn't pass
out she's achieving, she's accomplished something. The expectations
were to just squeak out one note and when you excel beyond
that, people are ready to embrace you. It just worked. It
wasn't a pulling strings kind of thing, it was a lucky break."
During tonight's set, sometimes the talking in the crowd seemed
louder. How was Rachael affected by this?
"Tonight we've had the most fun we've had. It's weird
because people freak out on your behalf if people are talking
if you don't have dead silence. Certainly in the US
I'm used to pin drop silence for my gigs. You become to expect
that and when you don't have that it is a challenge. As long
as you are not afraid of the challenge of winning over an
audience. If you don't show fear and if you've got it give
it back to them, they will embrace you. They are there to
have a good time and have a good show. They are waiting for
the headlining act and to be the second of three acts is a
really difficult spot to be put in. From the stage perspective
you've got three quarters of the floor mesmerised and the
balcony at the top staring at you completely silent. That
takes away the people at the bar chatting away. You have to
have fun with it. People appreciate guts. They want to see
people who don't give a shit. You like it or you don't. You're
here and you're doing your best." >>
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