Photo Credit: Ragan Henderson (@raganhenderson)
By Alissa Arunarsirakul // October 28, 2021
Because of her commitment to authenticity, ROSIE is unlike any other artist we’ve come across yet. Stripping her emotions down to their core, ROSIE strives to be as transparent and honest as possible–and it certainly shows. As a way to create a safe space for her listeners, ROSIE has unveiled her quintessential debut EP, 20mg of Happiness.
On 20mg of Happiness, ROSIE reflected,
“‘20mg of Happiness’ was extremely emotional to create, because I wrote all of these songs alone in my bedroom during the pandemic, as I was living through each stage of my own grieving process. My intention behind this EP is to raise mental health awareness by releasing a project that is deeply vulnerable and honest, and I hope it provides some form of catharsis for others. I want these songs to help those who feel misunderstood to feel understood, and those who feel unseen to feel seen. Let these seven songs serve as a friend, providing a safe space and a sanctuary to all who listen.”
To celebrate the release of her new music, we recently chatted with ROSIE about authenticity, TikTok, and of course, 20mg of Happiness.
HH: You’ve always been such an inspiration to us because of how much you value authenticity. Why is this so important to you?
R: Authenticity is important to me because as a young woman growing up with social media culture, I found myself trying to live up to impossible standards and I want to represent the message that while makeup and filters can be used creatively and artistically, no one should feel like they have to use them to fit in.
HH: 20mg of Happiness takes us through the highs and lows of young love. What would you say to someone who’s never gone through this tumultuous time before?
R: I would say first and foremost to trust your gut and to protect your heart. I believe that heartbreak is one of the many rights of passage being a human and there is no use in trying to avoid heartbreak. But, when it does happen, remember that there are so many people that love you and care for you and would do anything to see you happy again.
HH: “Screaming Underwater” heavily speaks to those who’ve faced heartbreak and loss while “to get over you” connects with those who are trying to move on from past relationships. Did you ever expect your music to resonate with so many people around the world?
R: I never expected my music to resonate with anyone except myself! My songs are quite literally journal entries and I usually write them because I feel like I am alone in what I am experiencing. It turns out millions of people feel alone in what they are experiencing too, which is why I am starting to see how my music is universal.
HH: “Never the 1” is quite possibly our favorite song to be released during the pandemic. Can you share a bit of your writing process with us?
R: Thank you so much! This was definitely the most stressful song to write because I began with the chorus and I knew I had to make sure that all the other elements of the song were equally as clever. I wrote the chorus months before I wrote the verses because I was terrified to ruin the song!
HH: How would you say TikTok changed the way you see music? Which TikTok songs do you think will be stuck in your head forever?
R: TikTok has completely changed the way I listen to music, because it’s all about catchy phrases, hooks and melodies, and it’s all trend based. It has also changed the way I write sometimes. As for songs that will be stuck in my head forever, the “oh no” sound and older songs like “sparks.”
HH: We’ve gotta ask… how excited are you to play your first EP release show?!
R: I am 96% excited and 4% nervous. The last live show I played was for 50 people and now I’m going to be playing for 250 people (fingers crossed!). In the spring I’ll be playing some much bigger shows, so overall I am PUMPED! This is really just the beginning!
HH: If you could collaborate with anyone in the music industry, who would you pick?
R: Julia Michaels, hands down. She’s the only person that I aspire to be like both as an artist, songwriter, and young female in the industry.
HH: What are your three hidden hits?
R: “Routine” by Sam MacPherson, “god sent me as karma” by Emlyn and “How it Ends” by Avery Lynch and Jordy.
The Hidden Hits 