Meet Baby Rose: The Soothing Singer With Equally Calming Self-Care Advice
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Listening to singer Baby Rose, it’s easy to think that you’ve been transported to the past. Her soothing tone and emotional writing echo the otherworldly sounds of Nina Simone. But Baby Rose—née Rose Wilson—is making a name for herself with a starry fan base for her debut album, To Myself, and sold-out concerts in Los Angeles and New York before the days of social distancing. (Appreciative listeners include Kehlani, J. Cole, and SZA.)
The 25-year-old Atlanta native credits her family with giving her a running start in music, even when she was teased for singing at school. Her mother brought her to her first studio session at 13, and her uncle bought Rose her first piano. “They would constantly tell me, ‘Rose, this is who you are. You’re a creator and this is what you should fight for.’”
The lyrics on To Myself were inspired by a breakup with her first love. “I was feeling a lot of emotions,” she says. “But, in retrospect, this album is very much just about me and all of the things that make me love music. From the Muscle Shoals sound to jazz, classical music, R&B, and soul to the lyrical delivery in hip-hop…this is what I have to give to the world.”
Today, when she feels her confidence wavering, prayer and deep breathing are her go-tos. “I count to four breathing in and count to six breathing out to slow my whole body down.” If that doesn’t work, she turns to a glass of wine, some fresh air on her balcony, and the mantra, “nothing is ever that deep.” A little beauty therapy also helps, of course: Baby Rose swears by a simple routine to complement her glowing skin. Her favorites consist of the Fenty Pro Filt’r Matte Foundation; her favorite 14 Carrot Moisturizer from a local store in Atlanta, Iwi Fresh; Glossier’s Skywash; MAC’s Clear Lipglass; and the cult classic Orgasm blush from NARS. For her luscious locks, Baby Rose never goes without Miss Jessie’s Soft Curl Cream, which she applies when her hair is wet and lets air-dry.
To calm her mind during self-isolation in Atlanta, Baby Rose’s days will likely include clay masks, baths, and listening to frequencies on YouTube “for a homemade sound bath.” Listening to records on vinyl, making music in her at-home studio, and learning to play the piano by ear are all in the cards as well. “If you create a vibe in your space, you won’t want to leave anyway,” she says.
As for what’s next? “Things are so uncertain right now. Everything is in limbo,” due to the coronavirus, she says. “But there are a lot of festivals that are hopefully being postponed until the summertime that I’m really excited to be a part of.” (Something In the Water and Roots Picnic among them.) Until then, she’ll continue flexing her artistic muscles at home. “I think the task of artists everywhere now is just to be creative and to find a way to stay active and present.”