One of the beautiful things about music is its ability to make everyone feel seen, heard, and understood. At some point in our lives, we find ourselves wondering who we are and where we are headed, what our purpose is, etc. Australian indie/pop artist Angela Rose beautifully articulates this familiar existential challenge in her latest release, “24.” If you’re going through changes and have suddenly realized that you no longer have a clue who you are or what you’re doing with your life, it can feel overwhelming, but take a deep breath and try to relax as you listen to this song. This too shall pass. We had the pleasure of interviewing Angela Rose, and here’s what she had to say:
Q: I love the honesty and relatability of “24”! I feel many people will be able to relate to this song. Thanks for sharing it! What motivated you to put this song out there and how are you hoping listeners respond to it, especially those in their 20s, who are probably wondering what they’re doing with their lives?
ROSE: The main motivation to release “24” was the relatability of the track, and that also for me it is now a keepsake for that time in my life. I find it kind of funny now in the sense that when I wrote it I was really in the thick of it and living every lyric, but now that I have a bit of perspective on the situation I can see how far I have come. So I hope that listeners who are going through a similar situation in their early 20s, or at any age really, will feel comfort in knowing that they aren’t alone and that everyone at some point will question their life path or feel a little lost and that is okay! You come out the other side knowing a little more than you did before.
Q: What did you enjoy most about making this song? What was your best aspect of the creative process?
ROSE: I really loved getting creative with this one and having some fun with the quirky moments throughout. Little things like playing ‘wrong’ chords when that lyric hits and the slide guitar in the ‘sail away’ part to give it a tropical feel are some notable mentions. I remember every time the slide guitar was played back it cracked us all up in the studio, I’m not sure why it was so funny but it brought a lot of joy to the room.
Q: Could you describe what your typical studio session while making this song was like?
ROSE: The session for ‘24’ was lots of fun! I worked with Jack Nigro at The Grove Studios for most of the recording. First, we did some pre-production and collaborated on mapping out the track, which was great because Jack and I clicked creatively! Jack gave some really great direction in the studio and I actually learnt a lot in this session about my sound. From there it grew bit by bit with lots of layered guitars, stacked vocal harmonies, and a punchy drum beat. It all came together so well and I’m really happy with the finished product.
Q: If you could collaborate with any artist—dead or alive—who would it be? Why?
ROSE: Dolly Parton is the first person to come to mind. I love Dolly and her songwriting, her music reminds me a lot of my childhood, but I just think she’s an amazing woman, and who wouldn’t want to collaborate with her!?
Q: At what point did you know you wanted to be a musician? What got you into music?
ROSE: I’ve always loved music, my childhood was full of country music and singing around the house, but I didn’t really start writing songs until 2020. My last release ‘Small Town’ was actually the first song that I had written in 2021 where I thought I might actually be okay at songwriting and from there I just decided to take the leap and pursue music.
Q: Could you share some key aspects of your musical roadmap for 2023?
ROSE: Some key aspects of my musical roadmap this year include finishing off some music in the studio, releasing my debut EP, writing a bunch of new material, and doing some more live shows throughout the year as well, which is all super exciting!
Interviewed by Zoey King
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