Whether it is finding comfort in the drive home or embracing “irish eyes,” Rose Betts knows how to take everyday moments and weave them into sonic tapestries.
Her latest single “War,” released through Nettwerk Music Group, emerges from the trenches of unrequited love. With the help of John Mark Nelson and Sean Cook, Betts pieces together the rubble of a broken heart into a cathartic folk song.
We chatted with the remarkable storyteller about her single “War,” working with acclaimed director Zack Snyder, and the exciting things to come in 2024!
What inspired your new single “War”?
I’ve had a couple of relationships that were not constructive ones, and I think it’s really easy to blame yourself for all the damage that gets done. I think after one particular relationship I just realized there was never a version of it that wasn’t destructive, the guy only wanted to fight with the world and with himself and with me. It was never anything other than doomed and realizing that was weirdly freeing and such a relief. I was able to separate from him and the relationship properly then and that’s what this song is about.
How did you get connected with John Mark Nelson and Sean Cook, and what was it like building the song with them?
Sean Cook is managed by the same label as me, and we’ve worked together before on my song “Sober.” We’ve become good friends, getting into various scrapes around Los Angeles, and I love working with him. He’s always open to experimenting but has such musicality and came in in the later stages of the production of this song to get it across the line. John Mark Nelson is someone I just ended up in a co-writing session with once, which is pretty rare as I don’t often co-write. We really got on immediately; we read the same books and have a similar sense of humour which is so key. He really uncovered the core of the production of this song, finding a way to keep the lightness of the musicality in balance with the darkness of the lyrics and the meaning of the song. The song probably wouldn’t be out if it weren’t for him.
Your twin sister, Lisa played celtic flute on the track. What was it like to have her involved?
I love getting my twin involved in my music. She lives a very different life; she’s a teacher in the north of Scotland, but she is so musical and endlessly patient with my requests. She generally begins by saying the part I’ve written isn’t playable and then ends up acing it, and she has a wonderful instinct for the flicks and melodic turns that make it feel so Celtic.
Like many of your songs, “War” is pulled straight from the pages of your life. Did you find it cathartic to reprocess those memories through song?
Yes, it was very cathartic! And it still is. It really is like freeing something when I write a song. It’s total self-therapy. I have some songs whose existence kind of keeps the pain that caused them fresh and performing them can be hard, but “War” feels really releasing to perform and puts the whole moment/relationship that inspired it firmly in the past.
Speaking of stories, you’ve had opportunities to create songs for two of Zack Snyder’s films: The Flash (directors cut) and the Rebel Moon. What is it like to write from a fictional character’s perspective and how does it compare to writing your original music, which is mostly based on your own experiences?
I love writing from a fictional character’s perspective. I generally find something I can relate or empathize with as a doorway into the song, that way, there is real truth and weight behind the song, hopefully. Zack has such a vivid imagination and rich story behind all of his characters and worlds that it’s really easy to find inspiration and roots for the songs. It’s great writing something that feels separate from me but tied in a loose way. I guess it’s probably a little like acting. My own songs are all tied to my story and my perspective, but I love how both approaches to a song can cross-pollinate and inform each other. That’s one of the most gratifying things about doing different sorts of projects, seeing how they all influence each other.
If you could set fans up in the perfect environment to listen to “War,” what do you imagine it looking like?
I’d get them to run a nice bubble bath, bring in a drink, some wine, or a cup of tea, light a load of candles, and listen to the song alone.
Before virality, you had carved out a space in the London music scene. What was it like to realize that your music has reached and resonated with audiences way beyond London?
It’s been incredible having viral moments, especially because it’s never something I thought would happen for me. I thought viral artists weren’t cut from the cloth I am, but it turns out there’s a space for Celtic pop and poetry and ballads after all. The numbers are kind of crazy, it’s impossible to visualize what 100,000 is let alone 6 million, so I can’t really wrap my head around it, but every now and then, when I’m out, someone will recognize me and want to talk about “Irish” Eyes or something, and then I realize the music has traveled and it’s a surreal but lovely moment.
What are you looking forward to most in 2024?
Releasing my second album!! I’m so excited. It’s been a little while since I put out my first, and I’ve had so much fun writing and producing this new batch of songs.
What is one quote that you have heard or that you go by that you want to ECHO out to the world?
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Everyone knows this quote, but I feel like we all need to hear it more often. It helps get the fear of failing out of the way. Life is too short not to take chances.