The undeniably talented singer and songwriter Rose Villain, who is currently based in New York, is the subject of our questions this week. With her edgy pop tunes and incredible tones, we got to hear more from the lady behind the music.
Tell us a little bit about yourself as an artist… what are your main values?
My main values as an artist are originality, constant transformation and authenticity. I’m always in search of fresh sounds and mixes of genres that surprise me because it makes me feel like I’m growing and changing with the music, which is vital to me. With every song I get a little closer to the artist I strive to be.
Do you feel like you’re still learning as your career develops?
What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned along the way? Yes, with music you never grow old because you never finish learning. You’re always in school. The most important lesson I learned is to be patience and to trust your instincts.
Do you remember what first got you into wanting to create music?
I’ve been obsessed with music since I was born but was obviously not aware of my skills, so I started dancing at three. It felt I was part of it, it’s a great form of expression that makes you feel like you are indeed creating something. Then at elementary school I started writing lyrics. But still I didn’t know I could sing. When I sang my first song at karaoke and people were in awe, I was like “fuck yeah!”
Which of your tracks have meant the most to you and why?
‘Geisha’ for sure was a break-through point for me. It was not the first to come out but it was the one where we felt we had done something that didn’t follow any trend, and it was really unique.
Swanky Tunes have just remixed your single ‘Geisha’ and it sounds great – are you pleased with the result?
Yes! These guys are cool! The remix makes me wanna move my ass.
What originally inspired the track?
My boyfriend and producer of the track; we were early in our relationship and both wanted to impress each other, he did so with that crazy drop and I did with the lyrics that talk about him.
If you could name three artists/groups who have influenced you the most throughout your career so far, who would they be?
Nirvana, Johnny Cash, Madonna. They didn’t give a damn about what people told them to do, they were hungry and took what was theirs – going against the rules.
What do you have coming up for the rest of the year that you can share with us?
Big things people, big things coming! But if I told you then I would have to kill you…
