The best word to describe Rachael Sage's sound is theatrical, and her newest album Chandelier is truly theatre for your ears. Lyrically each song is an act from the stage play of Sage's life; musically each is a mini musical in scope, breadth and drama. As a former performer with the New York City Ballet, Sage's flare for the dramatic is understandable, but while you may expect a prima ballerina to be a drama queen she is far from it. And much like ballet, Chandelier feels graceful and effortless, and Sage's vocals match this with a diaphanous almost ethereal quality, and yet combined they are powerful and energetic. It's filled with hooky melodies and subtle emotive lyrics and guided by a strong pop sensibility accompanied by Sage's tinkley piano. You feel like you're on a personal journey with Sage, and each eclectic song is a vignette of life in Sage's very creative head.

Sage's ability to write, arrange, and perform nicely balanced music is undoubtedly one of the reason this multi-award winning singer-songwriter has built up a large grassroots fan base. Unwilling to sacrifice her artistic vision to a big, soulless label Sage formed her very own label, Mpress Records in 1995. Now she is releasing her eighth album, Chandelier, from that label.

I was thrilled when she recently agreed to take some time out of her busy CD launch schedule to chat with me. Intelligent, witty, and upbeat, Sage managed to be engaging and whimsical while always maintaining a professional demeanour. It was a pleasure to interview her.

Eight albums is quiet a lot to put out on your own.

It is I guess. I don't know about the on my own versus any other option. Once I started the label it's actually part of what makes the label keep at it and stay alive and well. Got to put out records to keep myself on the road, and keep coming out with new tunes. If anything I feel I could and/or should be putting out more work on my own but I'm a little bit more on the schedule that the rest of the universe is on where artists mostly put out one album a year at most. I'm kind of a throwback to the days of The Monkees and The Beatles, they put out a few a year. (laughs) That's where my heart is but obviously it's hard to finance that, and it's hard to keep people focused. Everybody seems to have ADD these days, besides me. Putting out too much work to quickly just means most people will be caught out and confused.

But you are doing your best. You have pretty much released an album a year since 2002.

There were a couple of years where it was a year and a half or so. I try not to count. I just notice that point where I have toured behind a record, and visited all those places I tend to hit in the U.S. All of the sudden I've got 13 to 15 songs and they're just burning a hole in my brain and I got to get back in and record. It's kind of seasonal I guess.