Life After X Factor Almost Ruined Me! School of Rock Bottom 58: Raquelle Gracie

Today I welcome a powerhouse and all round lovely human Raquelle Gracie – an artist, entrepreneur, and former X Factor finalist who has worked with music legends like Pharrell Williams and Babyface. But it’s not all glitter and glam. Raquelle shares her unfiltered story of hitting an emotional 'bottom' in the ruthless world of the music industry.At just 23, Raquelle found herself rejected by Babyface’s label, dropped without a visa, and left stranded in LA with no money. But that was just the start of her battle. From facing personal betrayal to struggling with self-worth, rejection became a recurring theme in Raquelle's life. In this episode, she opens up about the deep emotional scars she carried and the dangerous spiral of self-sabotage that almost took everything away.Yet, despite all the darkness, Raquelle rose. Ditching the booze, she turned her pain into power, using her journey of rejection and grief to fuel her creativity and help others. Raquelle's story is one of resilience, growth, and empowerment. From the music industry’s harsh realities to her personal breakthrough, this episode will leave you inspired and ready to face your own challenges head-on.More on Raquelle -She first made waves as a finalist on The X Factor in 2007, touring with Boyzone and Westlife before working with Pharrell Williams and signing with Babyface via Universal Records. She even co-wrote a US Dance Chart top-three hit with Randy Jackson.But Raquelle’s impact doesn’t stop at music. She’s shaping the next generation of artists, running songwriting camps and artist retreats in Portugal, founding RISE Creative Arts theatre school, and launching Tiny Gym, a fresh take on Tiny Desk concerts.Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode! Visit -www.gavinsisters.co.uk and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypalTopics -0:00 Intro 3:15 Raquelle's rock bottom6:00 Dealing with rejection & mysogyny9:15 Without singing - am I enough? 13:45 Rejection turns into self sabotage 15:00 The X Factor! 17:15 Being cut because of weight gain 21:10 Validation addiction 27:05 Food & body image to self sabotage 36:30 Power in vulnerability 36:55 Sponsor38:00 Why Raquelle went alcohol free 41:30 Going sober helped with grief44:40 The spiritual journey 47:40 Answers come in silence and stillness 52:10 Championing young performers 55:50 What would you like written on your gravestone?56:35 Advice for young Raquelle Follow Raquelle Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/raquellegracieTik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@raquellegracieWebsite - www.raquellegracie.liveFollow OliverInstagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjvFacebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59rTikTok - https://tinyurl.com/ujw4vxn9LinkedIn - https://tinyurl.com/yuemhnd7Threads - https://tinyurl.com/yk7vdeahX - https://tinyurl.com/3u5mnpdsPlease subscribe, follow, like, leave a review and comment! YouTube - https://tinyurl.com/4y57uyctSpotify - https://spoti.fi/3Z0Pr1rApple - https://tinyurl.com/y3n2chk3#MusicIndustryStruggles#OvercomingRejection#CreativeJourney