Rachel Colman's music calms and soothes even as it delivers difficult truths with rare depth and honesty. Her vulnerability in writing avoids cliché, offering a refreshing and healing perspective on the human experience. Through bold, prayerful songs, she gives voice to the prayers our churches need to sing today. Listeners have been known to report that road rage becomes impossible with her music in the car.
Rachel always imagined she would write songs but waited until she felt she truly had something to say. With decades of experience leading church communities in worship, personal grief prompted her to share the richness of her faith journey through songwriting. While she loves to write about joy and beauty too, she understands the importance of songs that reflect the full spectrum of human experience and the places where God meets us in the midst of it.
Her self-produced debut album, Make A Way, was released to enthusiastic response in fall 2024, with concerts in Winnipeg and Toronto. Following the pattern of the Psalms, it moves from lament through petition to deep gratitude and peace. Rachel's songs are sung in churches across Canada and used in spiritual care practices. She performs in churches, homes, and concert venues, and meets with congregations to encourage them in worship planning and songwriting.
Rachel is currently at work on Strength for Dreaming, a Lenten concept album exploring humility, lament, and mercy: twelve songs written for both private devotion and communal singing, due for release in February 2027. She will record alongside multi-instrumentalists Nick Kolisnyk and Adam Kroeker, whose improvisatory, interactive playing will shape the sound of the album, from over a year of performing together.
Rachel lives in Winnipeg, MB, with her husband Andrew. She owes much to her many years with the musical community at saint benedict's table, for the modeling of contemplative songwriting and faithfulness to scripture and grace. Through that community, Rachel has had the chance to mentor a young singer-songwriter, and is actively working toward building a community of liturgically-based Christian artists in Winnipeg. When not working, Rachel and Andrew can be found puttering in the garden, attempting impressionist-style paintings, sharing meals with friends, or foraging for mushrooms.
