Straight out of Victoria, upcoming R&B artist Maya Rose is now ready to showcase her melodic, 90’s-flavoured work off on a national platform as she releases her debut single “See You Again”.
The song, an inviting and warm sway towards R&B’s heyday is driven largely by Rose’s dextrous vocal chops, so we thought it best to catch up with the young artist to grab a bit more insight into what has driven her into the music industry.
See below for Rose’s five biggest influences, with an explanation – written by Rose – on each.
Birdy
I fell in love with Birdy when I was 13. Birdy was my inspiration. I could see myself in her. We both played piano and I was just starting to write my own songs and perform them in front of people. We both wrote on piano and the subject matter was about being young and telling a personal story. I saw Birdy perform in Melbourne when she came to Australia in 2013. It was a surreal experience seeing her live; being in the same room as her. She was a quiet speaker but powerful when she sang. My favourite album of hers was Fire Within. I could relate to every song on a personal level and felt like she was speaking about my life. The songs she wrote for movies such as ‘The Fault in our Stars’ inspired me and gave me the idea that one day I could write songs for films.
Adele
Adele writes about her personal life in a universal way. I learnt from her as a songwriter how she turned her heartache into a hit song. She writes from the truth and knows how to articulate her feelings. This inspired me to write my lyrics from a very personally place too. You can feel that she is pouring her heart out when she sings about her experiences. I learnt ‘Someone Like You’ on piano when I was 12 and loved singing it for my family and friends. Adele said her writing process starts by playing around on the piano or guitar or she’ll wake up in the middle of the night with an idea which I find is similar to the way I write songs.
Tori Kelly
I fell in love with the effortless tone and range of Tori Kelly’s voice. I really respected how she wrote, recorded, produced and mixed her own EP in her bedroom and self-released. There is a truthfulness to her lyrics. She says that if she doesn’t know how to say something in real life she’ll just say it in a song. There is message throughout her songs about not giving up. Tori said sometimes she shuts off the part in her that is hurting but now she wants to dive in deeper and talk about real things in her lyrics. She’s not trying to be someone she’s not. I like that she’s genuine. I really respect the way she presents herself as an artist – she wears clothes and shoes that she feels comfortable in, embraces her natural curly hair. She’s just herself.
Lily Allen
I started listening to Lily Allen at about the age of 10. I couldn’t relate to most of what she talking about but I knew her words were honest and I learnt about life from her experiences. She said it like it was. I loved singing about things that felt out of my reach and acting that character when I would sing along. Her music gave me a connection to my dad who is from London and it helped me understand his world. Her song ‘Fuck You’ was the first time I sang swear words in a song. I saw Lily Allen at Festival Hall in 2010 and again in 2014. I loved the way she incorporated other genres into her music, reggae and sampled songs. One of favourite songs is ‘Littlest Things’ for its rhythmic lyrics in the verses and sweet melodies in the chorus.
Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys was one of my favourite singers growing up. Seeing a woman playing piano with R&B beats with hip-hop collaborations was so cool. The piano is also really important to her as it is to me. She is able to write songs that sound classic like ’If I Ain’t Got You’ that incorporates jazz elements. Then anthems like ‘Empire State of Mind’ which is more than just about New York, it is about hope and the chance to believe, which is what makes it so relatable. Her lyrics take you on a natural and honest experience and are a true expression of herself. Alicia said one of the most exciting parts of songwriting is putting it out there. I agree.
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Maya Rose is currently touring her new single with the following remaining dates:
Saturday 18th May Palais Hepburn
supporting Sol Nation – ‘World Music Party’
Friday 24th May The Golden Vine Bendigo
with StrawberryJamz
For more information head on over to her official website here.
