Singer/Songwriter Rowlene (Bosman) made her musical debut in 2016 when she dropped her first single titled Imposter. A year later, she blew us away with her soulful and soothing vocals when she featured on Nasty C’s hit song, Phases.
Now, 23-year-old Rowlene is set to drop her album titled 11:11 this Friday. The 12-track album features Nasty C, Omari Hardwick and Nonso Amadi.
She tells TRUELOVE all about her musical journey and her new album.
How would you describe your musical journey so far?
I'd describe it as a rollercoaster. It's a journey that has had its ups and downs; but I believe that for good things to exist, there needs to be a small balance of the bad. More than anything, my journey has been quite eventful. I’ve met some of the most amazing people. I've grown immensely, particular in my musicality. It's been really dope finding out so much about myself through music.
What have been some of the hardest challenges you’ve faced and how did you manage to overcome them?
The hardest challenge I’ve had to face is accepting that I don’t have to know everything now and I don’t have to have everything figured out now. There are so many hard truths I've had to overcome. I overcame that by trying to be as transparent, open, and as honest as possible with my loved ones and the people in my circle. I became more honest about my emotions and no longer kept it to myself - I've become truer to myself through this process.
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What can you tell us about your latest single Stop?
Stop is about understanding your worth and knowing that it’s okay to cut people off and to put yourself first. It’s about weighing what your purpose in other people’s lives and what theirs is in yours, and understanding that it’s got an impact on you and your growth.
What inspired the song?
The song was inspired by us just 'vibing' to music. There was no expectation as to what was going to happen that night when we worked on the song. It was also inspired by a whole lot of experiences that the people in the room were feeling at the time. We wanted to translate that into the music.
What can people expect to hear from your forthcoming album 11:11?
People can expect a lot of good music. I took my time putting this entire project together and it’s as honest as I can be. I’m wearing my heart on my sleeve. Knowing that the story is told one way by me but is going to be interpreted in a million different ways by others excites me!
How would you describe the mood of the album? How will it make a listener feel?
The album is very emotive. There are too many emotions to pick out one; I don’t want to box it. The listener is going to feel everything that they need to feel in the moment. I don’t want to depict that for them or put a label to it. I’d like for them to listen and decide for themselves how the songs make them feel.
How would you say your sound has evolved?
My sound has definitely evolved. Lyrically and sonically, I didn’t even know that I could push myself to a point where I could do crazy samples with my vocals. I’ve come to understand that uncomfortable positions or situations usually bring out the best music and I don’t ever want that to stop.
How has this evolution translated into your forthcoming album?
I know I’ve mentioned this a lot but if you compare my previous project to this one, you’ll notice that sonically there’s a major difference. You can hear the passion and the excitement.
What advice do you have for upcoming artists that look up to you and your sound?
I would just say depend on yourself. Be more proactive and don’t expect any other person to be in charge of what you’re meant to be in charge of. You can steer this in a way that can be so positive for you, but you need to take time to understand yourself to a point where you know what triggers you and why it triggers you. You don’t have to have all the answers now, but figuring yourself out comes with so much pros. If you focus on becoming the best version of yourself there's a lot that can come out from that. Don’t have expectations but try to live up to your full potential.
