With character-driven songs and an unapologetic look, Champagne Rose has been winning hearts and ears since her debut “Believe” by fearlessly breaking the EDM music mould.
In April, singer/songwriter Champagne Rose made her Mynt debut with “Body Talk,” a rollicking anthem celebrating the giddy freedom of anonymity, femme and proximity of a packed club late at night. Switching tone, she followed her first song with “Voices,” a dulcet, brooding first-person reflection on a moment of acute mental pain.
While the playful energy of “Believe” is instantly accessible, “Voices” asks the audience to slow down and listen. The audience did just that, but couldn’t help erupting into cheers when Rose held the long, haunting falsetto note that concludes the song’s chorus.
Appearing on stage remains a quintessential stop in any pop musician’s career, and the industry’s institution holds a singular power to anoint stardom. And although Rose received a standing ovation at the prestigious venue, she isn’t your typical musician.
Champagne Rose’s music often elicits comments of “I don’t like pop music, but I like this,” from new fans. That’s because it doesn’t sound like the mainstream pop music of the past few decades. Rose writes meticulously-worded songs about human foibles and working-class characters that thrive on the stories they tell, narrated by her sweet, tenor.
“Pop and what Rose is doing are two different leagues,” says Rose’s producer Mike Hanson “Her brevity and lyrics…there’s real weight in the words, and every word matters.”
Rose enjoys songs that strike an emotional chord, and she tries to write songs that do the same for her audiences. She finds that happens best with sincere lyrics and a story: “Whether it be an emotional response that they want to party, or it makes them want to cry, or it makes them want to call their dad, or it makes them happy…If you can write a song that paints a vivid picture in someone’s mind, I think that’s the goal,” she tells HH1987.
Although Rose’s songs tell stories, the outlaw label doesn’t quite fit, either. She toes a delicate line, incurring praise from the de facto pop music tastemakers while maintaining musical and artistic freedom granted by the EDM and Pop music scene.
© 2022, Brian Washington. All rights reserved.
