Raquel Cole

Cole grew up in Vernon, British Columbia and began playing the guitar when she was nine years old.^[6] Her parents purchased her the guitar as her father was a drummer and wanted someone to play music with.^[7] Her father arranged for her to have her first experience in a recording studio at ten years old as he wanted her to have an understanding of the recording process.^[8] At twelve years old, she won the "Best New Artist of the Year" at the B.C. Interior Music Awards.^[6] Cole credits the music scene in Vernon for inspiring her to be a songwriter and guitar player.^[9] She initially was more interested in the soft pop genre of music and was a large fan of Celine Dion growing up, but later became more interested in country music as she began to write songs, citing Keith Urban and Lady A as artists she listened to.^[8]

In 2014, Cole was named one of SiriusXM's "Fresh Female Voices" on The Highway. She opened on nine tour dates that fall for Diamond Rio in the southern United States.^[10] In 2015, she was named the Discovery Artist by the Canadian Country Music Association.^[11] She released her debut extended play Personal Truth in 2018, having recorded the songs in Winnipeg, Manitoba.^[12] Her song "Imogene" finished in second place of the Unsigned Only category of the International Songwriting Competition.^[13] She released a three-song extended play The Essence of Me in August 2020, after recording this project in Nashville, Tennessee.^[14][15] She received a nomination for "Female Artist of the Year" at the 2020 British Columbia Country Music Awards.^[16]

In 2021, Cole was a finalist at the SiriusXM Top of the Country competition.^[17][18][19] She released her first country radio single "Think About You" in July 2021.^[20] The song would enter the Billboard Canada Country chart and peak at number 44.^[21] In March 2022, she featured on fellow Canadian country singer Don Amero's single "Let You", which reached the top 30 at Canadian country radio.^[22][23][24] In October 2022, Cole signed a record deal with Sakamoto Music and released her second country radio single, "Hate That I Need You".^[2] Later that month, she opened for The Washboard Union on several of their tour dates in British Columbia.^[11] In July 2023, Cole released the song "All to Yourself".^[25] At the 2023 BC Country Music Awards, she won the International Achievement Award.^[26]