Harmonies of Soul and Sax: An Interview with Rosie Patton

Rosie Patton is a multifaceted artist whose musical journey traverses neo-soul and R&B landscapes with finesse. Known for her solo work under Rosie P, collaborative efforts in CURA, and her beginnings with Jealous Tina, Rosie has carved a distinctive path in the music industry. Her talents extend beyond singing and songwriting to include mastery of the saxophone, adding a unique dimension to her compositions.

Having collaborated with esteemed artists like edbl and 1000 Beasts, Rosie's music enjoys regular airplay on BBC Radio, underscoring her influence in the contemporary music scene. Her standout performance alongside Jamie Cullum in the pioneering 5G live-streamed musical event further highlights her versatility and acclaim as a performer.

Beyond her solo endeavors, Rosie thrives as a session player, lending her talents to diverse musical acts such as the South East's Doghouse Outhouse. From early gigs across Southern UK to international collaborations, Rosie Patton continues to captivate audiences with her soulful vocals and the smooth allure of her saxophone.

In this interview, we delve into Rosie's creative process, her musical inspirations, and the evolution of her artistic journey in today's vibrant music landscape.

YOU' is a significant milestone in your career as it marks the first song you've crafted entirely on your own. Can you share what the process was like and how it felt to take complete creative control?

It was an incredibly empowering and fulfilling experience, and one I'm hoping to repeat again and again now that I have kick started my solo project. It is the first time that a song released completely by myself has made it out of my brain, and the musical project itself 'off of the hard drive' - a process most musicians will know all too well to be particularly challenging. It was also the first time for me handling all aspects of the process (writing, recording, mixing, producing, etc.) which I found challenging working alone as I am normally used to working in collaborative contexts. I have often found myself battling with internal thoughts about the quality of my own creative output, constantly questioning how it would be perceived by friends, family, and people who are discovering my music. It's definitely been a hindrance over the years to me actually releasing my art and music, as I've found that it's an incredibly vulnerable process to release art into the world for consumption - especially as I often think that songwriting often offers a direct insight into your internal monologue. However, I am now continuously trying my best to realise the value in simply sharing my music, as it will naturally find the audience who want to listen, and I plan for this to be hopefully only the beginning for many releases under 'Rosie P' to come. I have always struggled to know where to place my musical identity under one title and style. So the aim for this project is to encompass everything I have learned throughout my musical journey so far under each project (Jealous Tina, CURA, etc.) into one coherent name, and I am expecting it to progress and develop creatively as I do.

The lyrics of 'YOU' have taken on new meanings for you since you first wrote the song in 2021. How has your personal growth influenced the reinterpretation of these lyrics, and what new insights do they now hold for you?

Originally, the lyrics of 'YOU' centred around themes of communication and self-progression, with 'YOU' referring to particular people in my life at the time. Now, 'YOU' reflects universal themes of growth and change, resonating on multiple levels. The entity of 'YOU' has evolved significantly for me; initially, it suggested specific individuals, but now the words can be more loosely interpreted. 'YOU' has almost become a conversation with a previous version of myself, and the evolving interpretation of who 'YOU' is in this song underlines the song's introspective nature. It's a really personally rewarding process to see the lyrics change their meaning for me in alignment with how I've grown since I originally wrote it. 

You've worked with many prolific artists and producers, but 'YOU' is your first solo track without any collaborations. How does stepping into the spotlight as a solo artist feel, and what challenges and rewards have you encountered in this transition?

It definitely felt different having complete creative control over this song, as I'm usually used to bouncing ideas off other people and being influenced by others in the track. I really cherish my past collaborations such as my first proper musical project 'Jealous Tina'. It taught me so much about being a musician, a band member, and how to navigate being a modern artist, but equally I also really value the opportunity to create something independently. It taught me a lot about trusting my own instincts and decisions, which is something I'm still working on for sure. But I'm really hoping this will motivate me to continue to explore my solo writing as well as continuing on with various collaborative projects. 

You've mentioned that 'YOU' captures a sense of ongoing self-improvement and introspection. How do you hope this theme will resonate with your listeners, and what message do you want them to take away from the song?

I think the main message of this song is that it’s okay to change, accept things that feel uncomfortable to you, reassess, and grow. That's definitely what it means for me now anyway, and how at the end of the day you are the only person that knows yourself well enough to achieve what you want out of life. I'm hoping that people will both resonate and reflect on that themselves when they listen. But at the same time, I genuinely love the fact that art and music can be so subjective, so it can mean something different to each listener! And I definitely actively encourage people to take their own meanings and explorations out of my music, this is all just what it means to me in this moment. Who knows what it will mean to me a week, month year, 10 years from now!

With 'YOU' being just the beginning of a series of new releases, what can fans expect from your upcoming music, and how does it reflect your journey and evolution as an artist over the past few years?

I say this every time I release music or art of any kind, but I'm really hoping (and actively planning this time!) for this to be the start of a whole bunch of releases I've been storing away for a long time now. My hard drive really can't take many more half finished projects, so I'm definitely focusing on trying to finish off what I have been working on for the past few years. Alongside that I'm always writing new bits and pieces, and hoping to push forwards a more refined sound as an artist in the next few releases, reflecting on my journey as an artist so far. I'm hoping to take the project back into a live context as soon as possible as well, and that will definitely be a highlight for me getting back behind a microphone. I think my first gig as 'Rosie P' will be a bit of a milestone for me, so hoping to make it happen alongside these next releases.