ROSIE Talks Debut EP, Mental Health Awareness and Quarantine Songwriting
Photo by Ragan Henderson / Courtesy of the artist
You may have seen her on your TikTok for you page, singing excerpts from her catchy songs on love and anxieties. Having just released her debut EP, 20mg of Happiness, singer-songwriter ROSIE is part of a larger, booming wave of young musicians we see on social media. Her Instagram bio proudly says, “No filters, no Facetune, no VSCO, no makeup, 100% real content!” In a way, so does her music. With her gentle voice and emphasis on bluntly expressing her emotions through lyrics, the 21-year-old has already captured the hearts of many and is on her way to magnetize even more.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
You previously described your newest project as a way to raise mental health awareness. How do you think the songs parallel the topics of mental health with that of a breakup or heartbreak?
I think that just like mental health, heartbreak is something that every human has to deal with at some point in their life. So much of the pain comes from feeling misunderstood so I hope that by expressing mine in this EP, I am creating a space where people feel understood and seen, knowing that maybe what they’re going through is a little more relatable than they thought and therefore they are less alone.
Having written your EP in the last year, how did the pandemic affect your songwriting and the way you explored your own feelings?
The pandemic allowed me to truly take the time I needed to process everything I was going through. Because I had no choice but to stay inside, all I did was feel my feelings and process them. I was also quarantining with my brother and we wrote some of the songs together - we would have never been in the same room that much.
How do you balance sharing your emotions through social media versus in your music? What are the main differences you have noticed in expressing yourself on these two media?
Who I am when I'm on social media is exactly who I am when writing songs. I try to be as honest and authentic as possible on every platform, in and outside of music. ◆
Is there anything fans can look forward to in the next few months?
Fans can look forward to growing upon EP 1 and me beginning EP 2! I'm also going on tour with Chelsea Cutler and Adam Melchor in Spring 2022.
Listen to 20mg of Happiness on all streaming platforms now. Keep up with ROSIE on Instagram and TikTok.