Pop Artist Rosie Darling Emulates Dreamy Catharsis in Comforting New Single “Justify”
By Justice Petersen
Singing with graceful radiance and a peaceful cathartic energy, pop artist Rosie Darling has recently come out with a new single, “Justify”. As she sings over delicate acoustic guitars about how we may condone the poor behaviors of a significant other, Rosie emulates a dreamy sense of healing, like you’re walking through the forest at dawn and watching the sun shine through the evergreen trees.
“Justify” is just a sneak peek of what is to come on Rosie’s debut LP which will come out later this year. Following two previous EP’s, Rosie continues to write music that shows her true and honest self, so that others may be inspired to process and understand their own emotions.
Justice: What originally got you into music and songwriting?
Rosie: I was a huge fan of Taylor Swift and she inspired me to learn how to play guitar. My family has always been musical too, so I was always singing and wanting to write as a kid, so I’m so glad I get to do that now!
Justice: What inspires you when it comes to your music and aesthetics?
Rosie: I like to draw inspiration from certain emotions that I experience or have experienced in my life; however, I also understand that creative writing is a tool that you can play with to paint a larger picture for someone listening even if they don’t know my story.
I love writing and using super specific lyrics because it allows the listener to relate to the experience in a way that feels personal while also protecting my own experience. I truly love how music can relate to anyone and feel that no matter what I am singing about whether it is personal or not, it can FEEL personal to a listener. I know for me sometimes I hear songs and I don’t even quite know the story behind them but there is just a special feeling in the production or melodies that capture me and keep me listening.
I have always been somewhat comfortable sharing my emotions in writing because I think part of being an artist and sharing your art is allowing yourself to be vulnerable even if it is scary! I do like to maintain a sense of privacy though when speaking about songs because it is important to me that the songs relate to my listeners and fans more than it is that they know every single detail about my personal life. I think finding that balance is key because I want my listeners to relate and find their own stories in my songs. :)
Justice: In your Spotify bio, you say that “sad songs are my love language”. How so?
Rosie: I find vulnerability to be healing and so I try to capture certain raw emotions in my songs when I write that I hope my listeners will relate to as well. When listening to music outside of my own writing, I usually find that the most painful and heartbreaking songs can be the most healing because someone can capture the feeling for me. So, when I say “sad songs are my love language,” I feel like it’s more about the way music as a whole can be powerful and healing, even if it’s also heartbreakingly sad in the writing.
Justice: “Justify” is such a beautiful single. You say it was inspired by relationships where one is trying to condone their partner’s poor behavior. What’s it like to write about an experience that is so personal?
Rosie: It’s scary! I wrote this song over a few months and it was unfinished for a long time. I have found that stepping away sometimes for a little while writing is helpful when it’s something so personal. I feel lucky that I can put my experiences into songs for other people to relate to for sure, but this song helped me process and heal in my own way as I kept writing it.
Justice: The single has a beautiful music video that was shot in the woods of Washington State. You say this is inspired by sitting in nature alone with your thoughts and processing your feelings. Is this inspired directly from an experience you had?
Rosie: The last couple of years I have done a lot of soul-searching and have spent a lot of time alone figuring out what I want, what I stand for, how I recharge, and how I feel safe. Just like the next person living life in their twenties, I have had my fair share of disappointments and emotional traumas, and for me personally, escaping to the woods and immersing myself in the present helps me refocus and stay grounded.
I have spent a lot of time in LA pursuing music and although it is an exciting and creative place to be, I felt inspired to leave the sunny California weather in exchange for rain, moss, and beautiful lakes all around Washington State. Every now and then it’s good to get out of your environment and find new inspiration and that’s what this music video captured for me.
Nature is cyclical. It experiences life to the fullest and loss at its worst, but the beauty of it all is that it’s seasonal, and its temporariness is comforting.
Justice: What do you hope listeners gain from “Justify”?
Rosie: I hope my listeners gain a sense of clarity on their personal experiences and relationships. People are so complex but the simple fact is, if someone is hurting you intentionally and not treating you like an equal, then it’s not a relationship you want in your life. If “Justify” can nudge anyone who is in the midst of an unhealthy relationship in the direction of feeling strong and feeling like they can leave that relationship then I am thankful for that.
Justice: Your debut LP comes out later this year (congrats btw!). What can you tell us about it?
Rosie: Thank you! These songs are really personal. I am excited and nervous to release it, but each one of these songs helped me process and heal in their own ways. I am lucky that I have a healthy relationship with music that allows me to process painful emotions, so I hope my listeners can hear that and find some healing too.
Justice: How will the LP be different from your previously released EP’s “Golden Age” (2022) and “Coping” (2021)?
Rosie: Well it’s still me, so hopefully not too far off from what I have previously released! I think there are just a lot more complex emotions on this album than in my previous songs. The writing feels personal and instead of releasing a shorter-length EP, I have space for twice as many songs where I can share more and expand more on some of the writing.
Justice: This fall you head out on tour where you’ll be supporting Katelyn Tarver on their first headlining tour. What can fans expect to see from you at your shows?
Rosie: Some of my old songs and some new! I am excited to sing some of the new stuff on tour and see how people relate to it. I think Katelyn is also amazing and that we will complement each other’s sets well! Can’t wait.
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Links:
Official: https://www.rosiedarling.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosiedarlingmusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosieldarling
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosieldarling/