Interview: Ella Rosa Admits To Being OTT When It Comes to PDA

British singer/songwriter Ella Rosa falls victim to those puppy dog eyes in new single “gross!!!”

Stream: “gross!!!” – Ella Rosa

British singer/songwriter Ella Rosa is a dance artist, whose intoxicating music is heavily influenced by drum and bass. Concocting a unique, one of a kind sound, Rosa also incorporates elements of her operatic vocal abilities, which power a top throbbing beats and kaleidoscopic synths.

Her latest single “gross!!!” is a fun, animated track where the Brit speaks about the cringiness that comes with falling in love. We’re all guilty of being a little over the top when it comes to the initial stages of dating. The excitement and adrenaline of love and infatuation can sometimes give us blinkers to the sappy, cheesiness that is really going on. Rosa admits to having gone through this herself, while also calling out that it gives her the ick.

Rosa shares, “I made this song to poke fun at myself. PDA, puppy love, infatuation, whatever you want to call it is gross and I needed to almost make an anthem to remind myself (and others) that it’s not that deep.”

Atwood Magazine spoke with Ella Rosa about “gross!!!,” her dream collaborations and hidden talents!

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A CONVERSATION WITH ELLA ROSA

Atwood Magazine: Congratulations on the release of your new single “gross!!!” Can you elaborate on the inspiration behind it and what led you to create a song that playfully pokes fun at the aspects of falling in love?

Ella Rosa: Thanks so much! 100%, I felt like I made this song in a period of feeling super hypocritical about the concept of love and it was more of a “making fun of myself” kind of moment.

You have a unique blend of influences, from your background as a trained opera singer to your love for drum and bass. How do you navigate and incorporate these diverse musical elements into your work, especially in “gross!!!”?

Ella Rosa: I think with the single I was more aiming towards a straight down the middle pop/Gali song, so I didn’t put too much thought into genre blending for this one but, the next project I have coming out is definitely the mix of both.

“gross!!!” features lighthearted and satirical lyrics. Do you have a preference when it comes to more playful narratives versus deeper, more vulnerable messages and do you ever struggle with being so honest in your songwriting?

Ella Rosa: Most the time I come at songwriting from an unfiltered perspective, and I feel as an artist that is my duty but, sometimes, like in the case of “Gross” I took a little bit more of a surface level approach to make it more playful!

You’ve collaborated with some amazing people including Anwar Sawyer (Audrey Nuna), Jahnei Clarke (Tinashe, Lil Dicky), Void Stryker (Lana Del Rey, Lil Tecca, Peach Tree Rascals), and Geoffro (Justin Bieber, Kehlani). If you could collaborate with any artist or songwriter, who would it be and why?

Ella Rosa: ShyGirl, Tinashe, FLO – I really find inspiration in a lot of the strong, female acts, and think I could learn so much from the writing style.

With a dance-centric sound, we can only imagine how fun your live performances are. Do you have any upcoming gigs/tours that listeners can check you out?

Ella Rosa: Yes!!! Next year there will be a lot more live performances lined up so keep an eye out!

While on the topic of performing, do you have any dream venues/festivals that are on your wish list?

Ella Rosa: I would love to perform in my hometown, at Reading Festival in England. Would also love to do red rocks at some point as the venue looks amazing.

If you weren't pursuing a career in music, what do you think you'd be doing instead?

Ella Rosa: I literally couldn’t even imagine a life outside of music… I’d probably be working at hooters or something fun like that.

Apart from your musical talents, do you have any hidden talents or hobbies that we might be surprised to learn about?

Ella Rosa: I can gleek on demand. You will probs have to Google that one.

Your new project is set to release in early 2024. Without giving away too much, what can fans and listeners expect from this upcoming release, and how does it build upon the themes explored in “gross!!!” and your previous work?

Ella Rosa: This next year is going to be major, and the project is really based around that genre blending that I mentioned before. A lot of really weird sonic moments that make for fun, creative dance music. I have made a lot of risks in this project but I’m so excited. I feel very lucky to be able to work with the collaborators that I am right now.

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