Rachel has forged a path for herself in the Scottish music scene. Her ears and influences are immersed in a broad range of styles and sounds, creating her genre hopping and fluid approach to writing and interpreting music. She has been sought out for many different collaborations (Mezcla, The Elusive Tree, Alyn Cosker) which allows her to challenge her instrument, as well as explore what it means to be a vocalist.

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Recent notable achievements include: her nominations for Best Vocalist in the 2018 - 2021 Jazz Awards; the featured vocalist in sold-out performances of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Court and Spark’ (featured on BBC Radio Scotland, 2018), and Carole King’s ‘Tapestry’ with Start-to-End at Celtic Connections; and her work as a backing vocalist for folk singer Siobhan Miller (featured on BBC Quay sessions 2019) and Kris Drever (Where the World is Thin 2020). 

Rachel has a busy session-schedule working with artists such as Kris Drever (2020 release), Alyn Cosker (KPF, 2018), Siobhan Miller (Mercury, 2018), Fat-Suit (Equinox Sessions), Tom McGuire & the Brassholes, Mezcla, The Elusive Tree Ensemble, Angus Munro (Mirror Man, 2019), as well as her vocal trio Little Acres.

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"Rachel Lightbody who provides one of those beautiful performances that stops you in your tracks, and forces you to listen." Dave Jones (Jazz Journal)

 
Jazzwise Magazine praises “The fragile beauties of Lightbody’s voice”