Raquel Rodriguez & The Big Guys

Inspired by the likes of Etta James, Amy Winehouse, Adele, and others, Raquel Rodriguez has distinguished herself as a rising star in the competitive L.A. music scene. An alumnus of L.A.’s highly prestigious Hamilton High School Academy of Music, in 2009, Rodriguez auditioned for and gained entrance into one of the most selective jazz studies programs in the nation - USC’s famed Thornton School of Music. In the spring of 2012, Raquel successfully received her B.M., Music Industry degree with a minor in Jazz Studies.

Raquel plays with a 6-piece backing band, The Big Guys, comprised of many of her classmates from Thornton’s Jazz Studies department. All members of the group are accomplished in their own right; in combination with the voice, interpretive talent and charisma of Raquel, they are a force.

Since forming almost two years ago, the group has performed at some of the top venues in Southern California, including the Roxy, Key Club and the House of Blues. Most recently, the band has opened for hip-hop superstars J. Cole and Big Sean at the A.S.I. Hip-Hop and Comedy Fest hosted by CSU-Los Angeles and played at the Carmel Arts & Film Festival. Most notably, Raquel and her band won the nationwide 2012 College Battle of the Bands. As a result, they recorded Raquel’s original piece, “Already Beat” with Grammy-winning producer Andrew Scheps at the renowned Village Studios in Los Angeles

After releasing her 6-song self-titled EP in January of 2012, Raquel and company are hard at work putting together their first full-length album, which will feature all new original material penned by the singer herself.