Music is one of the threads that connects human beings. Whether it’s pop, rock ’n’ roll or down-home country, the lyrics and rhythms of songs help us not only tell our own stories, but they align us with artists that interpret our feelings and experiences in ways we sometimes cannot.
San Lorenzo Valley’s own Taylor Rae is that kind of artist.
Born in the scenic coastal town of Santa Cruz, singer-songwriter Rae swiftly made her mark on the Americana music scene with her debut album, “Mad Twenties,” released in October 2021. The record went on to become a fixture on the Americana Radio charts (AMA/CDX) for 31 weeks, marking the longest duration for any independently released album in 2022.
The single, “Home on the Road,” which truly embodies her “Soul & Roll” sound, remained in the Top 10 of the Americana Music Singles Chart for 30 consecutive weeks—the longest streak of any independently-released album that year.
The positive response to “Mad Twenties” catapulted Rae onto a series of nationwide tours, performing to sold-out crowds alongside luminaries like Sierra Hull, John Craigie, Pokey LaFarge, as well as headlining shows with her own band. One of the unique aspects of the album is its fusion of various genres, which has allowed Rae to captivate a wide range of audiences across the country.
No Depression magazine hailed Rae as “a singer fully in command of her vocal gifts and a songwriter who enfolds her lyric sensibility in haunting musical sketches.”
Now, Rae turns her attention inward with “The Void.” It’s an immersive and wildly eclectic album that both confirms her status as an Americana A-lister as well as reaches far beyond the genre’s borders. It’s filled with the most personal songs of her career, a sharply-written record that celebrates the contradictory and complementary parts of the human experience, exploring life’s dark corners—from breakups to intergenerational trauma—anchored by Rae’s colorful mix of roadhouse roots/rock, modern-day folk, alternative, blues and analog Americana.
She tours non-stop, playing over 200 shows per year, and on May 9, Rae is bringing her signature jazz-blues-folk-infused talent to Moe’s Alley in Santa Cruz as she introduces her sophomore album, “The Void,” which was released on April 18. Packed with her smooth, effortless tones and bluesy sway, the album is a tribute to what makes Rae a small-town favorite; not only here in the SLV, but also in Austin, Texas, a place she now calls home.
“Every song I write is inspired by a really deep personal experience,” Rae said. “There’s such a strong sense of community in the music scene. For me, there is a cap on what kind of gig you can play in Santa Cruz, so the main reason I moved to Austin is to expand the network—I’m still doing music full-time, but it’s not an industry city like Nashville or Los Angeles.”
Rae just completed her debut experience at South by Southwest (SXSW), where she was named to NPR Music’s “Best of SXSW 2025” list and featured as a “Must-See Local Artist” at SXSW 2025. Her touring schedule has swept her across the country, so Rae said she’s just now getting into Austin-based gigs.
“The biggest challenge around touring is exhaustion. After multiple weeks of being on the road, it takes a little while to recover,” said Rae, who just finished a month-long tour in Europe, but still waxes poetic about playing at Park Hall in 2021. “I love that place. I grew up there, and my roots help keep me connected. I’m always hyping my hometown, Ben Lomond and Park Hall—it’s everything to me.”
For her new album, “The Void” is a bit heavier than her “Mad Twenties” effort.
“The ‘Mad Twenties’ takes you on a journey through the chaos that comes with that decade, and I feel like ‘The Void’ is that space that I’ve settled into after that chaos. It helps me find the stillness and find the healing after that time. It’s a very internal solo journey, so the whole record is a reflection of that,” Rae said. “I’m finding that with things being as crazy as they are right now, everyone needs a chance to step into the stillness and face some challenges. It’s a collective feeling these days.”
Songs like “Cologne,” which hit No. 18 on the charts, and has been in the Top 50 on the Americana charts for five weeks in a row, capture the intricacies of relationships, while “Telluride” takes listeners on a road trip of its own.
About “Telluride,” Rae told Relix magazine, “Living life on the road allows much time for contemplation, processing and accepting. It can be addicting because of this, referenced in the line ‘time stands still on the road.’ Who wouldn’t be addicted to time standing still? For that reason, it gets overwhelming coming off the road. Things seem to move at a lightning speed making it hard for someone like me, who has a hard time with transitions, to ride the wave.”
Come ride the wave with Rae at Moe’s Alley on Friday, May 9. Doors open at 8pm, with the 21-and-up show starting at 9pm. For tickets and information, visit moesalley.com.
