I first discovered RozzzQween in my ‘Discover Weekly’ on Spotify. It queued to her song, Matilda. To tell you that I fell in love with her music instantly doesn’t do the moment justice. I couldn’t believe that I had never heard her voice before, where had this incredible artist been hiding all this time?

Listening to the rest of her album confirmed my suspicions, she was pure undiscovered gold. People do know about her — but not enough.

Every single on of her songs is (of course) now on my playlist. Her voice made it the easy.

Get a Taste:

Who is Rozzzqween?

Rozzzqween has been writing music since she was eighteen, and developing her discography since then. I knew that I had to speak to her and get the word out about her music. Fortunately, being the friendly and open artist that she is, she agreed to the interview you’re reading today.

To no further adieu, this is the incredibly talented and fabulous Roslin a.k.a RozzzQween…

Listeners often compare Roz to Winehouse, I think because of the earthy tone of her voice; it’s deep, it’s rich, it sends goosebumps down the back of your neck.

Whilst her inspirations do include Winehouse, they run much deeper than that. She grew up like most of us late 90s and 2000s kids did with C Lo Green and other famous classics but fell in love first discovering her fathers Ms. Dynamite album when she was in single digits.

Rhythm was already in her bones… Writing poetry for years in her teens, she didn’t realise what power her voice truly held until her friends saw it first. Reflecting on her eureeka ‘Shit I can sing!’ moment, she explained that it all began at a bus stop with a group of best friends from school. They were taking turns singing Katy B On A Mission and when it came to her everyone screamed with disbelief.

By the time university came around, Roz was at a crossroads. She knew she had a burning passion but how was she going to validate that fact?

She did the thing that most of us are too scared to do and chose music.

Remember this beat?

‘It blew up on TikTok before I even had the app, I saw this crazy influx of streams, but I could do nothing because I didn’t have the exclusive liscence. I could’ve torn my arm off because it meant anyone could do what they wanted with it and they did.’

The production of Sunday Afternoon taught Rozzzqween the one of her first big lessons of the music industry, at least when it came to buying beats off Youtube.

‘Just because I was discoverable on Shazam for two weeks, doesn’t mean that someone across the pond in Atlanta or Orange County wasn’t going to use the song for themselves.’

Where can I see her?

Lucky for all of you who live in London, you can see Rozzzqween perform live every month at Wanstead Works. Live my own dream, and see her live on the 20th of April.

Music in 2024

‘What’s sad at the moment is that more and more people are falling in love with songs and not the artists themselves anymore.’

Largely due to TikTok, the fact that anyone can blow up now, means artists are scrambling to release the next big hit rather than staying true to themselves.

‘Because when it comes to doing a live show, only like 12 people will show up, and sometimes they can’t really sing because there’s so much software available today to alter your voice… Everyone wants to be famous now.’

Experience in the industry

The music industry runs on one thing, and that’s exploitation. You walk in expecting to see it, but it’s still a slap in the face. Especially as a woman, and for an unrepresented woman it can be much harder…

‘When you’re in this room with a man that you don’t know, you’re there because you want to make music but the reality is that you don’t know this person [and what their agenda is with you]’

There are so many different ways to get taken advantage of in the music industry because of this fact. The attitude is; you’re there for your sound and image to be exploited and bought by hundreds of thausands — if not, millions — of people. You have to be ready.

Aside from the sexual aspect there’s also the financial side.

‘You don’t always know what the best option is when you’re unreprested, which road do you take?’

It’s no secret that music doesn’t pay as much as it used to, and streaming platforms don’t pay as much as audiences are led to believe.

‘The management I have now give me more free will, I make my own choices, which I love. The question is; how much of yourself exactly are you willing to give of yourself to the world? And you have to be happy with your choice.’

EP in the works for 2024

‘It’s going to be a testiment to my creativity’

Instead of confining herself, Roz lets it go, she goes for gold and the proof is in the pudding. It’s rare that you find an artists where their whole discography slaps. RozzzQween is one of these artists and after listening to snippets of her new music through her socials, I’m buzzed.

In reflecting on her faith and connection to God, we delved further into motivations around her creative process.

Especially in writing Take Me Back to Church, she spoke about her connection with her faith and how often her music is inspired by it. We talked about Kanyes’ hit, Jesus Walks. It was the idea of all these people coming together and ‘getting hyped up on God’ in a club. God and nightlife are meant to be two things that just don’t go together, yet through music, it connected the two unlikeliest of groups.

‘I need God, I need refuge in church, whilst I don’t always visit church, it will always symbolise a safe space where you can be yourself.’

RozzzQweens’ Parting Nugget of Wisdom

‘Just because you can’t see the effects of your efforts now, doesn’t mean you won’t later. This is exactly why you shouldn’t just do things for the now or for a loose image of the future. This will keep you unsatisified… Also don’t take things too seriously!’

Thank you RozzzQween for being so fabulous xox

Interview and write up by Shona Cugat-Davies