With the release of Rachel Croom’s first single, “Secluded Recluse,” she has officially claimed her place as an independent artist and “…adds herself to the glowing list of current female artists who aren't afraid to sew their hearts to their sleeves and say the scary thing” (Cate Pasterchick). The single has since surpassed 20k streams despite its humble release late September 2024. Now, Croom has welcomed five new songs to her catalog, in a debut that whisks listeners away into the whimsy and perplexities of growing up.

The 21-year-old Jersey Girl credits her first project, an EP playfully titled ‘Big Music Fan,’ to her off-beat post-graduation plans. Along with her innate enchantment for music, the other half of her artistic identity is held in acting, where she began her training at the age of nine attending Actors Playground in Freehold, NJ. In 2022, Croom decided to replace the typical senior-year college application process with plans to pursue these passions.

‘Big Music Fan’ details her personal, yet familiar, feelings in navigating a coming-of-age. She blends blissful piano riffs and sunny drum beats with lyrics yearning for youthful lawlessness [Ease Into Yesterday]. A folky pedal steel guitar gives light to a made-up cottage between the mountains where a fuzzy meet-cute transpires [Secluded Recluse]. Her love of performing is turned on its head, and the curtain is pulled back (no pun intended, but also, pun totally intended) to reveal its hitches [I’m Not Feeling the Love]. Croom’s compositional choices make for a multi-hyphenated sound, built on the foundation of her eclectic and expansive influences. Whether it’s relating to a T or being simply moved by her sincerity, the listener will find they can seamlessly intertwine with the worlds she builds.

Her aforementioned single "Secluded Recluse" was released on September 27, 2024. The song, along with the EP’s title track “Big Music Fan,” was first heard live at City Winery (NY) as a part of a variety show of all independent works. This show later had a short run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival '23.

Visit www.big-music-fan.com for more.