Rachel Platten shares string version of “Girls”

Today, Rachel Platten shared a stunning new version of “Girls” that masterfully incorporates strings and a choir that includes some of Rachel’s close friends and their daughters. Listen to “Girls” (String Version) HERE. “Girls” was initially released for Mother’s Day 2023 – Platten’s first new music since taking a hiatus to spend time with her two girls following their births. 

“I always envisioned two versions for this song: one as a stripped-down, one-take rendition, capturing the essence of the moment I wrote it, and the other, a grand symphonic version that I could imagine in a big cinematic moment,” explains Platten. “After releasing the first version, I thought my decision was made but the song took on a life of its own and I knew I had to release this other vision.”

Earlier today, she performed the new version of “Girls” on “Good Morning America.” Accompanying herself on piano, Platten was joined by a cellist and backing vocalists. View HERE. Platten will play an intimate show at the legendary Troubadour in West Hollywood, CA on November 13. She’ll be performing new music that she has been writing over the last few years. Tickets are available HERE.

After the births of her daughters, Platten found great joy but she also struggled with postpartum anxiety/depression. Music was an integral part of her healing process — “My medicine to myself,” she calls it.

Since its release, “Girls” has continued to resonate deeply with fans across the globe. At Spotify alone, “Girls” has been added to over 52,000 personal playlists. Many have used the song to soundtrack their own families’ stories of resilience and joy, as these TikTok videos demonstrate:

–      a grandmother awaits the birth of her daughter’s twin girls

–      sisters whose bond has remained strong as one battles cerebral palsy

–      a daughter expresses gratitude to her mother for guiding her through the cochlear implant process and the therapy she needed to learn to hear and speak. 

In this feature, People said, “Rachel Platten is conveying a message of strength for her daughters and women everywhere.” American Songwriter noted, “singer-songwriter Rachel Platten is delivering stunning matriarchal wisdom in the form of a new song, “Girls,” her first single in nearly three years and maybe her most poignant yet.” Euphoria observed, “’Girls’…will find you sobbing to it when you need it most. Her music has always touched the soul.” 

Known for her inspiring and uplifting anthems, Platten was born in New York City and raised in Boston. She rose to fame with the global sensation “Fight Song,” which earned an Emmy and a Billboard Music Award. “Fight Song,” which is certified 7x Platinum in the U.S., and the 2x Platinum “Stand by You” appeared on her major label debut, Wildfire. Both songs topped Billboard’s Adult Pop Airplay chart. 

Waves and a new string of singles followed, pushing combined global streams of Platten’s songs into the billions. After writing You Belong about the experience of being pregnant with her first child, she turned the song into her first children’s book. “Girls” – her first single since 2020’s “Soldiers” – will appear on her forthcoming album, set for 2024 release via her own Violet Records.