People can say all they want about celebrities and public figures, but unless and until you really get to know them or see them climb from nothing into success, the amount of love they have in their hearts can never really be known. I’ve had the blessed opportunity to watch the incredible singer Rachel Platten finally catch her break after over a decade of clawing and fighting, and it’s been amazing to see her accomplishing so much that she has deserved for years. I’m thrilled and grateful to say that I have met so many incredible friends because of her and I’m honored and blessed to have had the opportunity to grow with her and to now be able to call her a friend.

This past weekend, Rachel held a Google Hangout video chat with her Top Ten street-teamers the afternoon before a show in Malibu, CA on Saturday. By a stroke of luck for me, it just so happened to fall on my 21^st birthday and I couldn’t have asked for a better gift. The amount love pouring in from all of the women on that screen was phenomenal, and here are some reactions from those involved, just so people could start to understand the impact Rachel has had on us.

Brit: By Rachel taking time out of her busy day to chat with fans means so much. It makes me feel like we are more friends. And to know that she genuinely cares about the things we say is remarkable. I feel by her doing the chat, it shows she’s not just an artist invested in making music for fame, but invested in the people who are being touched by the songs she is creating. My reaction was basically tears. From the time I saw her face, I tried to hold them back, but when she got emotional, I did as well. She said we can all be a powerhouse in this world. That will stick with me in hard times.

Carm: Just that she really appreciates us.

Kristi: The hangout showed fans that Rachel values opportunities to connect with them. As a musical celebrity, it is common to get stuck in the whirlwind of fame and neglect fans. Rachel puts forth effort beyond connecting with the crowds at her shows and finds ways to connect on personal levels. The hangout gave Rachel and us a chance to connect on personal level, allowing everyone to express how much she means to us and what we mean to her.

Meg: I think it’s beautiful that she wants to do things like this with her fans. That she cares what her fans are doing for her and wants to spend more time with them. It reflects so much of who she is and what I love about her.

Martina: It means more than words can express. She took time off to do that and she was so kind to everyone and answered all the questions we had. Also the fact that I got to be a part of it and I’m an international fan makes me so happy. The whole thing made me so emotional because this was the first time I got to talk to Rachel and see so many wonderful Plattenums. I’m so grateful for it and happy for everyone who got to experience it.

Sophia: It means the world to me that she took her time to talk to each one of us and genuinely chat. I don’t know what other artist will take 25 minutes off her busy schedule to talk to us like their friend. The fact that she cares about each one of us is so amazing and she always takes her time to care about us.

Amanda: It shows how much she truly cares about her fans. It was such an authentic reaction which is something I’ve always loved about her. She shows us what she’s feeling.

For me, I swear Rachel can see the future because she always has perfect timing, even when the date is set weeks in advance. Each and every time myself and these girls see Rachel, she shows us how much more she trusts us and how she treats us like friends, even family at times. The entire conversation did not feel one bit like I was talking to a platinum-selling artist who was going onstage in a few hours, but instead talking to a friend who I hadn’t seen in a while. She genuinely cares what each of us going through and doing and makes sure she shows us how much she appreciates us. Her “babbling” as she put it, just made it that much more authentic and personal as she told us about her morning or about personal experiences and how emotional she was. As Brit said, the entire hangout had me holding back tears, and the moment Rachel got emotional and started crying tears of happiness through her “I love yous” is something that I will never ever forget.

When you find an artist as caring, genuine, full of love, and open as Rachel Platten, let me know. Just like she said we were, Rachel is a powerhouse in this world with a heart of gold and I couldn’t be more grateful. The colors of the future are bright.

Thank you, Rachel. Love you always.

Your Purple Tee Plattenums