#sage becoming friends with sonic's friends over the phone.. can you imagine..

[iknowicanbutwhy]

"This is Tails. Sorry. You just- you haven't been picking up your communicator, and I meant to leave it be, and I know I said I wanted to take some time- to myself, and I haven't called for a bit, but I wanted to bother you- I DIDN'T want to bother you, I just- i know I said that I-"

*sigh*

"I'm trying to be tougher. Y'know, be okay on my own. But I've been really- thinking. Not talking... does that really have to be part of it? I've thought about it logically- because I guess it was kind of an emotional decision to go away, even if it IS also rational-"

"Tangent. Anyways... "Asking for help is a part of growing up," you said. Remember?"

"You're pretty great at holding yourself together. A-and I need to get better at that. But I still think.. that we should talk about things. We should talk about what happened.... and I know you're gonna go "I don't know what you're talking about, buddy!" and change the subject-"

[...If only I could access my data on Father's recorded history of him.]

[theseventhhex]

Rosie Lowe Interview

Rosie Lowe

Photo by Nathan Barnes

A songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and DJ, Rosie Lowe’s work digs into a richly complex mix of musical and emotional experiences. On her latest release, ‘YU’, Lowe takes a broader scope to interrogate life as a twentysomething in London and as an artist empowered and in control. Despite its richly classic feel, what’s emerged on ‘YU’ is an album on thoroughly modern, twenty-first-century love: its childhood myths and more pragmatic realities, its utopias and difficult weathers. Those moments when you find out how you are, who you are, and if you’re brave enough, you let it all bleed through… We talk to Rosie Lowe about collaboration, recording vocals in one take and burning sage…

TSH: Can you give us an insight into some of the primary topics and narratives that you felt compelled to express with ‘YU’…

Rosie: ‘YU’ is my modern love story. It’s about me sharing myself with another as a partner, friend and lover. I started going to relationship therapy with my partner five years ago and it shifted a lot for me, particularly my relationship to resistance and accepting the ups and downs of love; not seeing hardships as the beginning of the ending.

TSH: You’ve touched previously on ‘creative recharging’ – did you feel particularly rejuvenated and focused heading into the studio for this record?

Rosie: I felt sure of what I wanted this record to be before starting it. I knew I wanted it to be more collaborative; to use the incredible network of musicians I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by. I knew I wanted it to feel warmer and to represent where I am in my life (which is a much happier place), and I wanted it to feel more sonically live; to take the songs out of the computer and for them to be played by my favourite musicians. The record wasn’t made over an intense few months. It was created in little bursts over a two year period and this gave me space; allowing me to creatively recharge and get perspective of what it was I was wanting to say and how I wanted the songs to feel.

TSH: What led you to exploring the beliefs of your partner more so on this body of work?

Rosie: Myself and my partner started going to relationship therapy five years ago so exploring his beliefs and my own beliefs is something I was very much living. I have also been training in psychotherapy on the side and a huge part of the training is self-development; becoming aware of myself and my relationships, both past and present. I naturally process a lot of my emotions through music so it very much represents the inner dialogue I have been having.

TSH: How beneficial has the collaboration factor been for you with this batch of songs and putting so much more faith in the people around you?

Rosie: I love collaborating and working with others so it’s been such a joy to make ‘YU’. I think you can only really put faith in people when you trust them and they inspire you and I’ve worked hard over the last 10 years to find those people who I want to work with. It was amazing to see and feel that coming into fruition on ‘YU’.

TSH: Is the genesis and basis for your songs still done mainly on the piano?

Rosie: Not at all, no. For the songs I wrote with Dave, a lot of them started from the guitar or from a bass line. Others started on piano and others from samples. ‘Birdsong’, for instance, started with a drum sample I found and then a bass line I wrote. That’s what I wrote most of the song to and it was only once the song was formed that we started adding in other sonic elements.

TSH: The songwriting process has always been like therapy for you. How did you feel in the wake of applying the finishing touches for this record?

Rosie: The finishing part of this record was tracking with my favourite players in London so it was an incredible part of the process and I felt so lucky to have such amazing people contributing. When I write it’s a very personal process so to share that with others is a really special feeling.

TSH: What sort of motivations do you draw on to pen a track like ‘Mango’?

Rosie: I’m influenced by lots subconsciously. ‘Mango’ started from a feeling; I had a vision of being in a garden, it felt woozy, hot and sticky and I wanted to create this feeling in the lyrics. I’ve always loved religious stories and I started imagining Adam & Eve; I wanted to sing from Eve’s perspective as I don’t feel like it’s one we hear very often.

TSH: Moreover, did you identify ‘Apologise’ as the album closer for certain reasons?

Rosie: I knew from early on that I wanted ‘Lifeline’ to be the opening of the album and ‘Apologise’ to be at the end, it just felt right. ‘Apologise’ is about the cyclical nature of roles we play out (victim/rescuer), and it’s about me taking responsibility for my role in a relationship. Without one, you can’t have the other. It felt only right, thematically, that my record about relationships should finish with my responsibility for my own part in those relationships.

TSH: How encouraging and useful was it to record your vocals in one take?

Rosie: It was a powerful shift for me. I have a complex relationship with recording vocals and I am very aware of my tendencies for perfectionism. I had recorded a lot of the vocals on the album already, but they were too clean and lacked a rawness and freedom I was wanting for the record, so I went back and re-recorded the vocals in full takes and handed them over to Dave. It totally shifted my relationship with my voice and it’s had a really positive effect for my live performance too.

TSH: What sort of effect did it have to have had such hugely encouraging parents that led you towards the arts and music?

Rosie: I wouldn’t be making music in the way I am without this. It’s had a huge effect. They were so encouraging of my music and never pushed me to be anything that didn’t feel true to me. I know who I am, musically, and this has come from a lot of exploration which I don’t think I would have had the courage to do without my parents’ support from a young age. They’re wonderful.

TSH: How much sage have you burnt in recent times?

Rosie: Many, many, many bunches.

TSH: How rewarding has your time been since you started training as a psychotherapist?

Rosie: It’s been incredibly rewarding and very challenging too. The speed of self-development is fast when training and that takes a lot of self-work and reflection.

TSH: Does resetting in nature help you to gain clarity from the constant hustle and bustle and technological information overload?

Rosie: Absolutely, I feel like it’s such an important part of my life, to find space and to switch my phone off and breathe. I love the different pace of London to where I grew up and I wouldn’t want one without the other.

TSH: Also, did you end up selling your dad’s marmalade and kimchi on your merch stand?

Rosie: I sold my dad’s marmalade and sage on the merch stand. The taste of ‘YU’ and the smell of ‘YU’! I wanted to give my audience the opportunity to experience what this album smells/tastes like to me, ideally whilst listening to the music!

TSH: What are your main hobbies and passions when you’re not immersed in music?

Rosie: I love reading, seeing friends, drinking wine (!), running, eating, going to galleries and gigs and theatre, and listening to podcasts whilst going on long walks.

TSH: Finally, looking ahead with your future musical goals, what is your biggest drive?

Rosie: I want to keep developing, keep challenging myself musically. If something scares me, I want to try and do it.

Rosie Lowe - “Pharoah”

YU