Phoenix Rose
Photography: Owen James Vincent
Make Up Artist: Holly Coyle
Interview: Amy Bell
An artist that is getting a full ReVamp is the talented and creative singer, Phoenix Rose. From changing her look, her name and the style of her music we got to sit down with Phoenix to discuss all ReVamp and what the future holds for the fiery future.
Hello Phoenix Rose! Thanks for talking to ReVamp! You’ve decided to have a ReVamp! New Look… New Name!! Love it! What made you decide to change?
The changes came about really instantly, it wasn’t something that I stewed on or thought about for ages. It was one of those right times, right clicks in the body. It was just funny hearing you calling me Phoenix then, I was just like “Oh yeah! That’s me now”. It’s going to take a bit of time to get used to. I’ve changed my hair color many times from pink to lilac and remember looking in the mirror and thinking this isn’t me anymore. The night before I was getting my hair done, I knew I wanted to change my name and I knew what I wanted to change it to. It was really innate, it was one of those divine guidance moments, it was very quick but I never felt more sure.
You’re in the process of writing new music! Can you tell us anything about it?
Yes! I’m about to start working on a whole new project with the amazing Jake Issac (if you don’t know him, you need to get to know him he’s incredible), he’s not just an incredible artist but also an incredible songwriter. Again with the look and the name, it’s a whole new voice, idea, sound, message. It will still be the essence of me because I was always there but it will be a more raw and honest new version. I’m very excited!
What is your day-to-day look like musically?
In the morning I do vocal warm-ups, people think you should warm up before you sing but you should warm up before you speak because it uses energy and it helps if your vocal chords are tight. I find creativity comes and goes and I would really beat myself up if I couldn’t get inspired one day or write something. Now, I flow with it, like I have endless notes on my phone which are things that just come to me. There isn’t much of a structure, one day I could sit down and write three or four songs but then there might be a day I try and force myself and it comes to nothing.
In lockdown do you think that it made you become more productive in terms of your music?
During the lockdown, I did live gigs online. There would be 2 shows on a Wednesday, one at lunchtime and one in the evening. When things eased down it just became an evening show and it stopped when it felt right. That was really nice experience thing to do because it made me get comfortable in a different way like your not hearing any response back, you are not feeling anything of the audience, you’re just hoping that people on the other side are enjoying it. Also, the inner work that I did on myself in that time was the most beneficial to my creative process as I was able to tap into who I truly am. I had to face a lot of fears, I had to do a lot of healing and face a lot of blockages and it was awful. Along the way, I found the true and honest person I should have been, the real authentic me, but it took the pain and stuff to get there which means now that music I’m about to write, should have been the music I have always been writing but I was too afraid to.
How has your music changed since you first began to release music?
I would say the music has changed as I’ve changed. Also, it was moving away from the idea of who I should be, I would always try to fit in where it’s like a pop princess vibe, where I can be packaged, or how I need to make myself mainstream. During 2020 to 2021 winter, I wrote and recorded a new song and shot the music and that was more me pushing through a newer sound and more vulnerable state. The music I’m about to write will be the most different from all the stuff I’ve done before.
You appeared on The Voice in 2017, singing Ellie Goulding, how was the experience and why did you decide to pick this song to sing?
I didn’t pick the song, I was told to sing the song. No disrespect to Ellie Goulding, it wasn’t my song. I try to showcase myself and take songs that I’ve been given and see what I could do with them but that wouldn’t be my song choice. I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes experience more than the actual performance, so I like working with the band and working with the team, working with the record label and vocal coaches that I loved because I like being part of the process. The Voice for me, because I was so sensitive at the time, felt like a personal flogging, it’s like a personal shaming where you think you’re going to do really well but you don’t get a chair turn and you can’t walk away and disappear in secret and tell your family that was in front of millions of people.
So was the experience good for me? It was in my life past, so I would have to say yes, it was a very good experience and learning curve from that standpoint but back then I remember thinking why did I just put myself through that? The Voice broke my heart but now I’ve learned from it and I remember getting a standing ovation and I still get people from this day messaging me saying “I don’t know why they didn’t turn for you”. I remember getting down and damaged by the opinions of four people which probably wasn’t their opinion in the first place, it was probably an opinion they were told to have. Plus it was hard being knocked down by a small minority by thought you might have not liked me but all these one hundred and thousands of people do, so maybe I should just focus on that.
Do you think that The Voice gave you a platform for more listeners?
I definitely think I did get some more listeners from The Voice, I do think there was some benefit in the PR world, you’re more sellable if you have a story. I was happy to move away from that more quickly, it feels like a lifetime ago and it feels like something that I didn’t even do. I’m glad that people don’t know me from that and that I’ve built my career by myself and that the show was just part of the journey and just to show me I could do it.
What are your future plans?
Change the name, change the style and brand. So I’ve been recording this month and I would like to release the music in spring. I’m shooting the music videos with my partner who’s a fantastic editor and I’ve noticed I’ve got all these amazing creatives around me that can help me. So you’ll definitely hear more of me by the summer!