Award-winning British singer-songwriter Chloey Rose is known for her theatrically inspired, emotionally charged pop ballads. She has made a comeback to the music industry with her track “Runaway.” Chloey’s own experiences, especially the difficulties of leaving an unstable relationship, were as inspiration for the song.
We talked to Chloey Rose about the release and much more…
Your music often features deeply emotional and introspective lyrics. How do you approach songwriting when dealing with personal experiences, and how do you balance vulnerability with empowerment in your songs?
A majority of my songwriting has been inspired by my own personal experiences and some of the songs I have written are biographical to my life. I am so passionate about music! I cannot describe how it makes me feel in words sometimes ha! I am grateful for how creating music has given me an outlet to express my fears, loss, hopes and dreams allowing me to not only heal from these experiences but express a more vulnerable approach to my musical ideas.
You’ve drawn comparisons to artists like Adele and Paloma Faith, and you’ve cited influences like Kate Bush and Taylor Swift. How have these artists shaped your approach to music and storytelling?
Massively! I have immense respect for all four of these amazing artists and I feel I have been influenced by each one of these artists in many different ways. Adele firstly inspired me to take a more vulnerable approach to my song-writing, due to her second album ’21’ her storytelling explored her break up with a former boyfriend of hers, similarly within my storytelling I have written about my own past challenges with heartbreak, loss and unhealthy relationships.
Kate Bush has also been a major influence of mine since my childhood as I was introduced to her music by my dad from a young age. She has always pushed the boundaries of what we may see as the ‘norm’, her storytelling features melodrama, and emotional lyrics/vocals and at times feels melancholic, this is definitely a clear feature within my own musical style, especially my previous release ‘Ghost’. Similarly to Paloma Faith, I am also an actress, her music feels very theatrical which is an element I tend to incorporate within my acting and singing. Last but not least, Taylor Swift has continually transformed her musical styles over the years and this gratefully influenced me especially with my new track ‘Runaway’ as I felt drawn to take a different musical direction.
“Runaway” was produced with Aron Bicskey in Sheffield. What was the creative process like during those sessions, and how did you find working together?
Working with Aron is always fun! He is an amazing music producer to work with! I first worked with him in a recording studio back in Cheltenham and I really felt he got me vocally and musically. In my mind, I can have a clear vision at times of how I feel a song should sound and Aron has always reflected these musical ideas perfectly! During the process of co-writing ‘Runaway’ with Aron, I remember we discussed trying a different musical direction which was upbeat and fun! I had mentioned breaking free from an unhealthy relationship, this helped fuel the creation of song-writing ideas and when improvising lyrically and vocally we felt this channelled a lot of attitude as well as feeling a need to empower others with similar experiences.
Your debut single “Golden Dreams” made a big impact in 2017, followed by “Hot To Cold” receiving strong support from BBC Radio. How has your sound evolved since those early releases?
Well, I feel as an individual I have developed, changed and found myself personally and musically because of the challenges I have faced. I must sound so cheesy! Ha! But the more I have experimented lyrically I found I could be most authentic when I was connected emotionally to the songs I wrote and my personal experiences have then enabled me to fuel these creative ideas. My first song ‘Golden Dreams’ which became my signature tune was inspired by the idea of writing the theme for the next Bond movie ha! It’s always been my dream to do this! I have just always enjoyed writing dark soulful music and alt-pop ballads. However, with time I feel much more confident now in speaking my truth through song-writing, which took a long time! My songwriting has evolved over the last few years, as becoming a drama and music teacher has also given me the purpose of writing songs that inspire young people to be strong and resilient. Mental health is a concern in everyday life and there is so much pressure within a school environment.
You’ve performed across both the UK and Spain. How have your experiences on stage in different countries shaped your growth as a performer, and do you notice a difference in audience reception across these regions?
I feel that my singing, acting and teaching combined have enabled me lately to have a stronger presence within my stagecraft. I absolutely love the feeling of being on stage and sharing the moment with an audience. When I performed in Spain I noticed how the audience loved to sing along regularly so I learnt to embed popular covers which I could perform whilst adding my own style to them as well as my own original music. It is so important to create a strong connection with your audience musically and this has been developed not only through my music but also when I have performed in various acting roles such as playing leading lady Nina in a BBC theatre production I did at Lincoln Castle.
With a busy 2024 ahead, including more European performances, what can fans expect from your upcoming shows? Are you planning to bring new elements to your live performances?
They can expect a lot of new original music on its way during upcoming shows ahead, my new single ‘Runaway’ has sparked a new musical direction so I am really excited about bringing a more fresh modern feel to some of my performances and showing more variety musically. I’m also classically trained as a mezzo-soprano and it is always fun to take an audience by surprise by showing a different side to my vocals.
You’ve mentioned pushing yourself creatively with “Runaway.” Are there any other musical genres or styles you’re excited to explore in future projects?
Similar to Kate Bush with her theatrical vocal range, aerobics and distinctive sounds. I can sing classically and would love to incorporate a bit of opera into my music in the background of vocals. I love to sing a variety of genres and really wish to broaden my horizons by ‘thinking out of the box’ to show versatility as an artist.
Collaborating with producer and singer-songwriter Harry David is part of your future plans. How do you approach collaboration in the studio, and what can you tell us about the new material you’re working on together?
It is always great to work with Harry, I’ve known him for many years and as well as collaborating together on songs he will often perform with me at festivals/events playing the guitar. He’s also a great singer and one day I’m hoping he will write a duet with me! This would be ace! Next year I plan to release our new song called ‘Phoenix’. One of my ambitions has always been to have one of my songs become the soundtrack of a film or drama series and this song we wrote I can imagine on a television series like ‘Stranger Things’, as it’s dark but experimental.
Your music has resonated with people on a deeply emotional level. What message or feeling do you hope listeners take away from your songs, especially those like “Runaway” that focus on personal empowerment?
I really want to embed positive messages of hope and empowerment into my songs which will be relatable to listeners who have had similar challenges to me. I really hope these songs become a reminder that you are never alone and there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. I really want listeners to move forward with confidence and feel empowered.
