‘Young Forever’ is the kind of song that doesn’t need to be overthought. Simply, one must enjoy it at face value, being the dynamic and evocative pop banger that it is. Built over a charming disco beat, pretty contemporary and elegant, the single then benefits from Melo RoZe’s lush and vibrant vocal tone, delivered with fresh coolness and an almost ‘casual’ character.
Frankly, it’s a wonderful track. Catchy, relatable and dance-oriented: ‘Young Forever’ balances well its lyrical energy with its overall punchy aura. Delving into spoken words and singing, Melo RoZe manages to completely capture the listener’s attention, a quality that will go a long way in taking the project to higher territories.
Intrigued by RoZe, we sat down with the Nashville-based songstress to learn more about her upbringing and future goals… Interview below!
Hey Melo RoZe, how is it going? We just listened to your latest single ‘Young Forever’ and we love it. Lush and contemporary, it’s really catchy! Where did the inspiration for the single come from?
This song honestly created itself! It was a total accident! I was in a small songwriting camp with one other writer and a producer and we’d been working on primarily R&b/hiphop records the whole night for pitching purposes. Towards the end of the session, I suggested doing a pop record! I heard the track and immediately went into the booth and free-styled 95% of the topline melody you hear in the final version!
Your current work is the result of a long journey; What first drew you to making music?
Self-expression, honestly. Music allows me to express myself in a way that will always sound beautiful to someone. The lyrics could be dark and still be beautiful. That’s what I love about music. No matter what I say or how I say it, it still feels so good.
If you had the opportunity to pick any artists in the world for a collaboration, who would be your first choice? (and second choice, perhaps?)
Though he’s passed away, Michael Jackson will always be my first choice. The guy was a musical genius and I’d want to work with someone that I could create amazing art with but also learn so much from. However, a current artist I’d love to work with right now is Miguel! He hasn’t put out music in so long but I’d love to do a soft rock record with him! I love his voice and how he effortlessly blends soulful vocals over edgy records. He can do it all! I love working with diverse artists! I think that would be so amazing. Victoria Monèt is another! She’s an incredible performer and a phenomenal songwriter! I could learn so much from her.
Going back to ‘Young Forever’ – how did the creative process unfold? Has the record been written during a session with other artists or just by yourself? What about the production side of it?
The creative process was so simple! I think that’s why the record has been received pretty well and feels very nostalgic. It was me and another co-writer named Felix Morton. He’s really talented and once I laid down the melodies, we just started throwing lyrics out there until we all agreed on them! It was really fun just saying random things and seeing how it all fit and came together. We just really wanted to make people be able to visualize a scene while listening to the record as well as groove along!
That brings us to the question: do you feel more confident writing music alone, or within a team?
Honestly, it’s hard to say! It depends! I will say that I’ve written 99% of all my records alone. When you start out alone, sometimes it just feels natural and you get comfortable doing that. However, working with others pulls you out of that comfort zone and for me, it’s always a learning process! I love watching how others come up with ideas and seeing their process. It’s actually helped me become a better writer! Working with others however, has made me feel more confident because I’m not only relying on my own opinion which can be extremely harsh! Having the right people there can sometimes help you get out of your own creative way!
Listening to your past catalogue on Spotify, we can clearly see your evolution into a pop powerhouse; do you feel like you are progressively moving towards a more personal and authentic brand? There are a lot of Ariana Grande references in some of the songs, yet ‘Young Forever’ sounds more unique!
I’ve received those references a lot. I love Ariana she’s a vocal powerhouse and a total icon! However, as I continue to write and release music I do feel that I’m coming into who I’m meant to be as an artist. I’m never trying to sound like anyone but I do study and try to be innovative in my sound as much as I can. With time, people will know me for me and I can’t wait!
Artistically speaking, what challenges have the last two years presented you with?
Doing too little of what makes me feel alive. Having to work a job that I hate has been the most difficult! That sounds harsh but it’s the truth. A lot of us are working to invest in ourselves and very hard being a small artist without a big enough budget. Social media is another aspect of it that’s been difficult. Artists have to wear several hats today and I just want to create and work on my craft with my free time.
What are the next steps for your project? Anything exciting on the horizon?
I’m forever creating and playing with so many sounds and ideas right now and I’m having fun. My prayer is that in the near future I’ll be doing music full-time and beginning the sessions for my debut album. However, I’m going to just keep creating and let God decide.
