Introducing: Rosanna

Blending shimmering synth pop with the raw storytelling of folk and indie, Rosanna crafts songs that dive deep into love, heartbreak, and resurrection. With a nostalgic glow, her music captures the exuberance, joy, and restless energy of youth, channeling influences from Joni Mitchell’s lyrical honesty to Robyn and Kate Bush’s alt-pop magic.

Since debuting with "What It Takes to Leave" in early 2023, followed by "Need You To Stay", Rosanna has continued to carve her own path.

Nowhere Feels Like Home" explores themes of disconnection and searching for belonging. How did your personal experiences influence the songwriting, and what do you hope listeners take away from it?

I think it’s a feeling a lot of people go through, when you move away from home –certainly for me, I come from a small town, and I left when I was 18, when I came back it didn’t really feel like my home anymore, which was quite a strange and disorientating feeling, that this place that used to be so familiar and safe is no longer yours. With the song, we wanted to evoke a sense of movement, travelling, expansiveness – there’s a kind of restlessness which I often explore in my music (in fact Restless is the title of my debut EP). But it’s also a love song – about finding the feeling of home with the person or people you love. I don’t want to prescribe how someone should feel listening to my music – I just hope that people like it! It’s perfect to listen to while driving in the car, or taking a trip. I’ve been told it’s a sad banger (which for me is always a compliment!)  

You’ve mentioned Donna Lewis’ “I Love You Always Forever” as a stylistic reference for this track. What other musical or artistic influences helped shape your sound on this upcoming album? 

I’ve been listening to a lot of ABBA, the Eurythmics, as well as 80s techno – so there’s probably a bit of that influence going on with the album, but there’s also more tender, darker, more intimate tracks, and a lot of texture with different instruments too.

Your journey from a small town to Manchester and then London has clearly impacted your perspective. How has this shift influenced your music and your creative process?

I think we’re all impacted by the places we live and the people we meet aren’t we? I adore Manchester, it is such a great city and I think of it as where I got my musical education – it’s where I discovered The Smiths and Joy Division and the Cocteau Twins and all these amazing artists from the 80s and 90s, so that’s definitely had a lasting impact on my sound. I lived in London for a long time and have actually just moved out to the seaside, so I’m in the process of making a new home all over again. Is that life imitating art?

You recently quit your job to pursue music full-time—a huge step for any artist. What was that decision like, and what challenges (or surprises) have you encountered along the way? 

I think I just realised that if I was going to do this, then I had to go all in. It’s been a scary leap of faith, but I’ve learned so much about myself in the process and continue to learn all the time. As an independent artist, you have to be incredibly self-motivated and (as Dua Lipa calls it) have  radical optimism and self belief, cos no-one else is going to do it for you. The music industry is a notoriously tough business and the income streams for artists I think are less now than they used to be –  but when I’m having a hard time, I remind myself it’s a marathon, not a sprint. I love that Charles Bukowski poem – “If you’re going to try, go all the way. Otherwise don’t even start. This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives and maybe even your mind.”….sounds about right.

With your debut album set for release in late 2025, what can fans expect in terms of sound and themes? Are there any exciting collaborations or creative risks you’re taking?

Well, I can’t say too much just yet but… it’s going to be eclectic. I’m kind of fascinated by our relationship to machines and outdated, antiquated machines from the 70s and 80s, so that’s kind of playing into the soundworld of the album in some fun ways. It’s a really exciting moment as an artist, I’m so grateful to be able to bring together all the facets of my songwriting and share my world with listeners. So – stay tuned!