T.Rozie is a multi-talented artist who is making waves in today’s pop music scene. With her catchy songs including her new song “Take Your Time” and impressive dance moves, she is a star in the making.
Let’s talk about your new single “Take Your Time.” How is this song different from your earlier body of work?
“Take Your Time” has really been a whole process of me coming into figuring out who I am and what type of music I want to make. I am staying in my pop music era while also giving a little bit of R&B. That’s how the song came about.
What inspired your decision to make pop music as opposed to traditional R&B?
I think that I relate more to it. When I’m writing music and listening to beats, the sounds that resonate with me are more of the pop/R&B beats.
Did anything in particular inspire you in the making of this song?
No, not really. Honestly, I think it was just my hearing the beat and feeling like this is what I wanted to talk about. But it wasn’t anything in particular.
Is this single setting the tone for your forthcoming project?
On the 8th of September, I am releasing my second EP. “Take Your Time” is setting the tone for the style and feel of the project, Pop Paradise. My song “Love It Here” will also be on the EP as well. Overall, Pop Paradise will be cohesive from start to finish, giving a mixture of the two genres. I have a new song coming soon called “Chill” that will also be on the EP. It’s a total R&B feel, all the way around. “Love It Here” is pretty much the opposite. “Take Your Time” is a mixture of the two.
When you focus on making pop music, how do you distinguish it from contemporary R&B?
I would say maybe it has more to do with it being upbeat and at a faster tempo. I also think the subject matter also differentiates the two genres.
Let’s talk about your creative approach. Does that change as you switch between genres?
For me, making pop is more fun. It’s easier to create pop songs. I’m able to be a little bit more repetitive. I am able to focus more on just talking about one thing. R&B tends to be more complex. You have to make the melody and everything come together. I think it is a little bit easier to make a pop record compared to an R&B record.
During the process of working on Pop Paradise, what have you learned from the experience? How have you grown between the projects?
Honestly, I think as far as recording, I’ve grown so much. Before any of this, I was a professional dancer. So, I think learning how to be comfortable while inside the booth has been a game-changer for me. I learned that every take won’t be perfect, but I’m a lot more patient with myself. I think that has been my biggest growth. I believe in myself a little bit more than I did with my last project. I am just really open to my creativeness. I don’t need everyone else to be a part of my creative process. I think that has been a part of my growth since my last EP.
When you speak of being more independent as far as creating your music, are you saying that didn’t have as much input in your previous works?
Yes, this is the project that I can say that I truthfully created the way I wanted. These are my words and I had complete creative control. I didn’t just do what other people wanted me to do. I decided what I wanted to say and how I wanted to come across. This project has far more of my personal touch. You can tell everyone that you can do something, but at some point, you have to prove it. I think that I am in my ‘prove it’ era of life. I am in my ‘taking my time’ era of life, where I am doing everything for Rozie and focused on my own personal betterment.
That’s important. It usually takes a lot of time for an artist to arrive at that point in their artistry. You are releasing this independently. Are you still looking to score a major label deal, or do you plan on continuing to build your brand as an independent artist?
I am cool with most things that come along. I am actively looking for a major label situation. I have been making moves to have meetings and stuff like that, but I want to make sure that I can still be 100% myself. I don’t want to put myself in a situation where I can no longer be me. I need to be very strong within my own identity so I can be strong with whatever positions or stances I decide to take. When I do get picked up by a major label, I want to be able to have the same creative control I have now. I’m not going to be scared to speak my mind in those rooms. I want to be able to express myself when I’m not okay with something. I am still looking for that major label deal, but I’m not in a rush, not at all.
As a Black artist, do you feel pressure to make R&B music as opposed to pop?
As a female artist, I feel more pressured to do rap more than anything these days. We are just now seeing women in R&B receive the praise they deserve. It hadn’t been that way in quite some time. The Black women who are rappers get praised a little bit more. I felt more pressure to be a rapper when I first started. I wanted to rap, but it really just isn’t me. Now that I’m going the pop route, I think it’s completely different because there are not as many Black pop artists. It’s a completely different route. If I feel pressure to do anything, I will have to say it would be to make rap music.
Be’n Original
