KSRAH

Photo by Tasya Menaker

It’s 2006, and Rachel Thomas is staring down the edge of a long blade.

A decision had to be made. Die right now or live, because pointing a knife at yourself daily is no kind of life.

A choice was made, the knife lowered. The next day, Thomas re-discovered sound.

Thomas, better known in Chicago as KSRA, has had a life journey that embodies itself whole-heartedly in the music she makes.

On the cover of her debut album, Petra, Thomas lays amongst a field of paper, pages detailing a long period of self-reflection; one that spanned five years, two countries, two states and hundreds of pages of notes on the events therein.

In 2005, as a junior music student at the University of Michigan, Thomas took the opportunity to travel to Chile for a study abroad trip. Disenchanted with the classical route she chose to pursue in school, it was to be a trip of discovery; a chance to experience new things and grow.

Soon after landing in Santiago, Thomas hopped a cab south to a small fishing village. While riding through dense forest and steep inclines, the steering column broke and sent the cab, with Thomas inside, barreling into a home. Having survived, she began looking for a way back to town, eventually flagging down another driver.