Following on the heels of her two latest releases – 2023’s critically acclaimed The Other Side and 2024’s Another Side –Rachael Sage & The Sequins’ forthcoming full-length album Canopy continues her ongoing journey of storytelling, reinvention, and emotional connection. Sage offers listeners yet another beautifully crafted, deeply heartfelt collection of songs that feel like a refuge, woven from resilience, longing, and the irrepressible determination to find light in the darkest places. Equal parts reflective, mournful and optimistic, Canopy promises to be one of her most soulful and thought-provoking works yet. 

Today, Sage and company have released the video to one of many highlights awaiting listeners, “Live It Up.”  “With ‘Live It Up’ I endeavored to write a neo-classic pop-rock tune with a positive, hopeful message, as a musical antidote for these tumultuous and divisive times,” Sage says. “I also wanted it to have the widest dynamics on my album Canopy, and a feel-good, uplifting 70’s-reminiscent sound encompassing the themes of inclusivity, love and acceptance…with an almost over-the-top, irrepressible energy – like something Mika or Elton John might sing. My band The Sequins are all such passionate and expressive players and we had a fabulous time recording this song together as a band – along with Russ Johnson on horns, who definitely brings the party!”

Sage said of the backstory behind the visual:  “The video for ‘Live It Up’ was loosely inspired by one of my all-time favorite VH-1 classics, ‘I Know’ by Dionne Faris – which came out 30 years ago, (the same year I recorded my very first album “Morbid Romantic”). I remember seeing that clip with its bright yellow, high contrasting palette and smiling, energetic band members, and wanting to crawl through my TV screen and join that band. It made me immediately eager to inhabit what seemed to be a fantasy version of the NYC art-loft, replete with photogenic bathroom stalls (as was the trend). 

For our shoot, we sussed out a pretty raw, expansive loft/rehearsal space in Brooklyn and I basically encouraged my bandmates in The Sequins to show up and walk in like it was a typical rehearsal, knowing they’d be filmed like docu-style, and to embrace that naturalism for the whole day – including us greeting each other and generally leaning into our band chemistry. Right before we filmed, I had also just seen the brilliant Broadway production of ‘The Picture Of Dorian Gray’ which used the device of spotlighting the camera crew, shamelessly breaking that fourth wall in a very organic way…so throughout our video you’ll catch glimpses of our director/cinematographer Mike Flanagan scurrying by, which I love! 

Especially since my cancer experience a few years ago – I’m celebrating six years in remission from uterine cancer – and now being a ‘thriver’, I don’t really care about adhering to many rules during the creative process. So while we had a focused, clear vision and concept at the outset, I’m happy that we were able to capture many silly, celebratory and generous moments of collaboration between this beautiful band – who are some of my favorite humans. In these trying times, being able to sing ‘ain’t no way to heaven til we get there all equal’ at the top of my lungs with some of the loveliest, most talented musicians in NYC is definitely my idea of blissfully ‘living it up’ – and I’m so grateful!”

Canopy will be released digitally worldwide on October 24. A special limited-edition 40-panel hardcover book CD package – featuring Sage’s original artwork – as well as an orange colored vinyl edition will be released on November 14th and is available for preorder now via MPress Records.