My Ears Through the Years with Rachel Solomon

Happy New Year! We’re back! And we’re kicking off 2025 the best way we know how… with the next instalment of series 2 of My Ears Through the Years. 

Today, joining us with their autobiographical playlist of tunes, it’s the amazing Rachel Solomon! With over 15 years working within the production and agency world, Rachel is currently head of integrated production at Saatchi, most recently launching new EE as well as leading production across Waitrose, OVO and Subway. But what’s Rachel had in her headphones over the years? Let’s find out.

Hi Rachel! Tell us, what’s your first memory of music?

Rachel> Carly Simon’s  ‘Coming Around Again’. We took a cassette on multiple holidays and it was played on repeat! 

What was the first music you bought yourself?

Rachel> The first one I can actually remember is either Aqua – ‘Barbie Girl’ or Cleopatra – ‘Comin Atcha!’.

Your first gig? 

Rachel> If you don’t count singing my heart out to Jason Donovan in ‘Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’, then it was probably The Spice Girls! 

The first song that comes into your head at any opportunity?

Rachel> Right now it’s any track from the Wicked soundtrack, probably ‘Popular’.

Your first slow dance?

Rachel> ‘2 Become 1’ by the Spice Girls. I now hear the lyrics and think they are grossly inappropriate for any child. 

A song you grew up with? 

Rachel> Nirvana  - ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. Our house had VERY thin walls and I had many a night where I was lulled to sleep by the dulcet tones of Kurt Cobain being played at full volume by my brother in the room next door. At least by the time ‘Come As You Are’ came on it was a bit more chilled! 

Your walk out song? 

Rachel> Rolling Stones – ‘Sympathy For The Devil’, ideally with some backing singers doing the “hoo hooooo”s.

Your dancefloor anthem?

Rachel> Whitney Houston - “How Will I Know.” I quite like the Clean Bandit remix too. 

A song that reminds you of home and family?

Rachel> The song that seems to evoke the most memories as a family classic is Billy Joel –‘The Longest Time’. We liked to refer to favourites by their first names in our house, “Bill”, “Elt” “Carly” (Simon), “Freddie” and a bit of “Babs” were extensions of the Solomon family! 

How has your musical taste changed?

Rachel> The Red Hot Chilli Peppers were a bit of a moment in time for me, where I realised that I could like music that wasn’t just pop or UK Garage. The Californication album was played on repeat in my discman (as long as there were no bumps!) 

A song you wish you wrote?

Rachel> I think anything from Lin Manuel Miranda is just so smart. I could literally pick any of the songs from Hamilton, but I guess either Alexander Hamilton or Dear Theodosia. 

An artist that you wished more people knew about? 

Rachel> I think Meg Mac is stunning! Having lived in Australia for a chunk of time, she was definitely a regular on my Spotify playlists when I was there and even now that I’m back in the UK. 

Best sync moment?

Rachel> I know it’s a bit of classic, but Kate Bush “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” in Stranger Things. I just think it’s such an amazing use of an iconic track in a totally different context, and it obviously had a  great effect on the track too, bringing it to a whole new audience. The recent Adidas campaign for the Euros was also such an incredible use of ‘Hey Jude’. The execution of it is beautiful and it’s the perfect combination of nostalgia and patriotism. 

Music that made an ad campaign?

Rachel> Sorry to pick an ad I’ve been involved in, but one of our most recent EE iPhone ads featured ‘A Little Bit of Luck’ by DJ Luck & MC Neat. The track itself is a bit of a moment in time for me – it’s both nostalgic in terms of childhood, but also, given the content of the ad, in terms of parenthood, which is definitely where my life is heading with my kids (as well as the rest of the target audience!)

Best theme song?

Rachel> I’m not sure you would class it as the ‘Best’ but the Round the Twist Theme Tune just teleports me back to getting home from school and being both terrified and amazed by what I’m seeing!

Favourite film score?

Rachel> I think anything written by John Williams or Alan Silvestri is pretty spectacular. However the score I would have to choose is the Forrest Gump soundtrack.