Rose Paradise Goes Back to Her Roots With “Tangerine”

Rose Paradise’s new song “Tangerine” lays a deep foundation of introspection on her journey of growing up in a secluded Northern California town, and how she has changed since moving to New York.

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Stream: “Tangerine” – Rose Paradise

With a name like Rose Paradise and a voice as timeless and sincere as hers, it’s only a matter of time until stardom strikes.

In addition to the raw talent and famous name, Rose possesses that secret sauce that all of our favorite artists have; that third-eye, sixth sense essence that draws you to them, and you can’t really put your finger on it, but you just know that they are special.

I met Paradise at a cafe on the Lower East Side to discuss the new single off her debut record. The single is titled “Tangerine,” and it hones in on Rose’s nostalgia toward her home in Marin County, California, and how the transition of moving to New York for college has impacted her, not only as a musician but as a person.

Tangerine - Rose Paradise — Tangerine – Rose Paradise

Paradise stumbles into the cafe with a big smile on her face; she is fresh off the Citi Bike, dressed in cowboy boots, a white tank top, and her usual red lipstick. Her long blonde hair and green eyes, complimented with her bubbly personality tells a story of a girl who grew up with eccentric parents in a hippie town in Northern California; she spent her childhood on the beach, surfing and hanging out with the locals who she calls family.

Before long, she picked up the guitar and put her big imagination and sensitivity into art. With the encouragement of her parents, as well as a sensibility for songwriting, she hit the ground running and began writing and recording music at a very young age. These themes show up everywhere in her music today.

Rose Paradise "Tangerine" © Sofia Ziman — Rose Paradise “Tangerine” © Sofia Ziman

“‘Tangerine,’ to me, is about growing up and making a life for myself outside of my hometown; it’s about coming into my own as an adult and returning home to a place that is so different than it was when I was growing up; it’s like holding on to a fleeting feeling for as long as you can,” the artist says.

You can hear that nostalgia in her voice on the new single. The lyrics on “Tangerine” are delicate and familiar in the way that returning home is. And the production of the song feels like something that could could have only been crafted on the beach in Northern California, with Rose’s hand in it.

The subtle banjo licks, complimented with the ethereal slide guitar, boxy live drums, and Rose’s harmonies give us that classic folk sound, while keeping things fresh on the structure of the song; it’s catchy and moves with a swing. There is also a component to the song that feels completely in the room, as if we were on the beach listening to her band play it live.

It comes as no coincidence that she and her long-time collaborators flew across the country from New York to California to record the album in her hometown studio; they slept on couches and made the whole body of work in 8 days, recording most of the tracks live; some works of art just need that kind of attention to detail, and it’s a testament to Rose’s commitment to her music.

“I know every curve on this winding road, over the hill, and I’m headed home. When the blue peaks out from behind the trees, it all comes running back to me.”

In hearing Paradise talk about her home in Marin, I can tell how much love there is for her childhood and for the people who helped raise her; she speaks with a high level of gratitude and reflection that manifests itself into one of the most honest songs I’ve heard in a really long time.

“Tangerine” is no bullshit; it’s not clever, and it’s not trying to do too much; it is a song that shows us exactly who Rose Paradise is, at the foundation. The homage that she pays to the place that helped shape her into who she is today is so present in this song, and it makes for a perfect entrance into the world of the album that is on its way.

It is also one of those records that is so easily relatable because everybody who has left home shares that experience of “I can’t believe that things aren’t how they used to be.” Paradise articulates this sentiment in a digestible and easy-to-listen-to kind of way.

Rose Paradise’s debut album Over the Hill is set to release later this year. We’ll be listening to “Tangerine” as we soak up the rest of the summer sun and keep our ears peeled for the forthcoming Rose Paradise album – and we think you should, too!

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