ROSIE: A Singer-Songwriter Championing Honesty Online and Through Her Music
21-year-old singer-songwriter ROSIE is the epitome of “all natural.” The singer promotes portraying accurate representations of ourselves on social media, championing authenticity over filters and perfection. Expressing her own insecurities and realities not only online but also through her music, she beautifully portrays a message of “no filters, no Facetune, no VSCO, no bullshit.” ROSIE chats with us about her process of creating her recently released debut EP, 20mg of Happiness, and the songs that resonate with her currently the most.
What is your process when writing a song?
I’m a concept girl, for sure, so I always start with an idea before writing lyrics or melody. Lyrics definitely come more naturally to me so that’s usually what follows. My process from start to finish can take anywhere from two hours to 11 months and I’ve accepted that! It sounds corny but most times I feel like the songs are writing me more than I’m writing the song.
Were there any new parts of yourself that you discovered on your songwriting journey for your debut EP 20mg of Happiness?
I discovered so many parts of myself while writing 20mg of Happiness. I dived deep into the most vulnerable aspects of who I am, my weaknesses and insecurities, but I also learned so much about my strengths, my confidence in my feelings and my passion for being an artist and sharing my music with the world.
What is the meaning behind the title 20mg of Happiness in relation to your own life?
There are actually multiple meanings to the title but my most honest answer is: “20mg of happiness” is the saddest lyric from my whole EP. It describes my relationship with antidepressants, and it represents the part of me that knows some pain is permanent and it's better to accept the pain and learn from it than run away from it. More than anything, I think it encapsulates what I stand for as an artist, which is being open and honest about mental health, especially on the bad days.
What was the most challenging song to write on 20mg of Happiness?
“Never the 1,” hands down. Writing that song was an absolute puzzle, and I’m glad the pieces all fit together because I definitely had my doubts!
If there is one song off your debut EP that you wish your 10-year-old self had, which one would it be?
I wish 10-year-old-me had heard “All my favorite songs.” I think it’s important to remember that sometimes what we love most (for me, that’s music) can also cause us pain. I wish I had this song to remind me that everybody experiences hurt at some point in their life, and most times, we heal.
What message do you hope your fans leave with after experiencing your music?
I hope anyone who hears my music feels understood and heard. I want everyone to know that heartbreak, ups and downs, good days and bad days are truly universal and no one should feel alone in what they are going through.
You’re a big advocate for being open about struggles with body image, which is particularly an issue online where we constantly see heavily edited images. What prompted you to take this “no filters, no Facetune, no VSCO, no makeup, no bullshit” attitude? How do you maintain that mentality as an artist with a growing audience on social media?
I am [an] advocate of the “all natural” approach to social media because growing up on Instagram, I became obsessed with living up to impossible beauty and body standards. I put myself through tremendous pain trying to live up to people who had altered their photos to look like the “perfect” person. I actually deleted social media [altogether] up until going to college because it was truly damaging my relationship with food, with my body, and even my personality.
If you were the CEO of a major social media platform, what direction would you like to see social media head in? What features would you introduce?
I would introduce a little sticker, like a hashtag that you could put on any photos that are untouched/all natural, and the sticker rewards creators for posting real and honest content. The incentive would be, the algorithm is more likely to pick up unfiltered content and the probability of [virality] would go up based on the realness of your content. I have no idea how that would work and how to avoid dishonesty around just how natural the photos are, but in my dream world, that's how all social media would be.
Did you have any doubts about starting a career in music? If so, how did you work through those?
I doubt myself every day, but I use that self-doubt to fuel me. I’m constantly worried about the longevity of my career and my short and long-term success, but I try to remember that being a professional musician is such a gift. I feel gratitude more than anything, and gratitude overrides doubt 100% of the time.
Were there any moments when you struggled creatively? If so, what did you do to get through them?
I definitely have creative dry spells. I think I might be in one right now, actually, but all “creative dry spell” really means is, “I’m exhausted.” The best way to get over these blocks is to give yourself permission to rest. Whether that takes a day or six months or a year, you can’t force creativity.
Have you incorporated any of your classical violin training into your current music? If not, would you consider it?
I attribute so much of my creativity to being a classical violinist. I play violin in “All my favorite songs” and “Retail Therapy.” Violin taught me musical discipline and I use that every day as an artist and songwriter.
When you go on tour, who would you love to have in the audience? Which artists would you invite to come to watch?
Aside from artists, I would bring my whole family with me for the whole tour just to share this experience with them. But to answer the question, I’d love to see some of my favorite songwriters/artists in the crowd, like Julia Michaels and Sasha Sloan.
What is a song or a few songs that you would use to describe yourself right now?
I love this question!! “Hey Siri” by Salem ilese, “Rollerskates” by Ryann and “Seasons” by Rhys Lewis.
STORY BELLA CORONA
PHOTOS RAGAN HENDERSON