Twenty-one-year-old artist Rachel Loy is sharing something deeply personal when she writes and performs. Her first hit song in 2003, “The Same Man,” about a soldier friend fighting in Iraq, has drawn such an emotional response that it is clear that Loy’s deep feelings can be translated into music that speaks directly to listeners. Loy wraps that emotion into songs with introspective lyrics, multi-textured, intricately crafted arrangements, and spirited vocals. She has a way of hearing and playing the soul of the music, and gives listeners a peek at her soul when she sings. “All my songs are inspired by actual experiences and feelings,” says Loy. “Songwriting is my therapy; the only way I stay sane.” Raised in Austin and educated in Boston, pop singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Loy has been wooing fans across the country for the past two years with her gifts of melody, elevated musicianship and disarming personality. She’s already teamed with pop music heavy-hitters Clif Magness, Steve Kipner, Billy Mann, Victoria Shaw, Larry Seyer and Patrick Leonard. In December, she finished work with Texacool producer-engineer Carl Thiel on her debut recording, Love the Mess, slated for release February 1. Since the age of 13, Loy has been mesmerizing audiences with amazing vocals, groovy bass lines and fresh songwriting skills. For almost four years she took hold of Austin’s renowned live music scene as part of the Loy Sisters in the late ’90s with a Friday night slot at Babes On Sixth that was SRO, among other gigs. Loy also performed in numerous groups including the orchestras, string ensembles, choirs and an award-winning jazz band. While she likens her sound to John Mayer and Nelly Furtado, she’s more likely caught listening to The Beatles or U2. Loy cites Carole King and/or James Taylor are the greatest pop songwriters ever, but she doesn’t spend a lot of time listening to them either. Trance and Hip-Hop are getting more of her attention these days. Already, Loy’s accomplishments include the Billboard-charting hit song released by Sony Epic, a live performance on NBC’s “Today” show and CNN, and becoming the first full-time female Berklee College of Music student to be awarded a major record deal. She graduated from Berklee in three years with honors in 2004, having attended on a full scholarship for electric bass. “I got signed to a single deal with Sony Epic and experienced the ups and downs of the record business firsthand at age 19,” says Loy. “I was rushed to the top (there were only two months time between when I wrote “The Same Man” and when it was released internationally) and then suddenly dropped after going through many big-name co-writing sessions. Now at 21, I am no longer green, and I am ready for the next round.”