LaLa Rose

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“I’m living the good life, show a little love, give a little back,” sings LaLa Rose on the appropriately titled “Good Life.” This simple message threads its way through all of the singer’s music. The music is an effervescent mashup of 90s neo-soul and contemporary pop-funk, elevated by the thrilling grip of LaLa Rose’s powerful alto. It hints at a sophisticated and detail-oriented artist, fiercely committed to crafting immaculate pop music. But her true radiance lies in that earnest invitation, threaded throughout LaLa Rose’s songs, to stop thinking so much and to start feeling – really feeling. “I want listeners to feel moved and energized,” she explains. “That could mean empowered or it could mean angry, or sad about being screwed over because they realize their worth as they're listening. Or maybe grateful for the little things that we tend to overlook in daily life.” While growing up in San Francisco, LaLa Rose discovered singing around the age of seven, and after a few years of enthusiastic musical exploration, she added piano and bass lessons ... [ more ] “I’m living the good life, show a little love, give a little back,” sings LaLa Rose on the appropriately titled “Good Life.” This simple message threads its way through all of the singer’s music. The music is an effervescent mashup of 90s neo-soul and contemporary pop-funk, elevated by the thrilling grip of LaLa Rose’s powerful alto. It hints at a sophisticated and detail-oriented artist, fiercely committed to crafting immaculate pop music. But her true radiance lies in that earnest invitation, threaded throughout LaLa Rose’s songs, to stop thinking so much and to start feeling – really feeling. “I want listeners to feel moved and energized,” she explains. “That could mean empowered or it could mean angry, or sad about being screwed over because they realize their worth as they're listening. Or maybe grateful for the little things that we tend to overlook in daily life.”

While growing up in San Francisco, LaLa Rose discovered singing around the age of seven, and after a few years of enthusiastic musical exploration, she added piano and bass lessons into the mix. Her first forays into formal music education saw her natural curiosity and rebelliousness run afoul of some early teachers. “I got kicked out of piano class because I only wanted to play the songs I made up instead of some of the older classical material that you're traditionally taught,” she recalls. Even so, by the age of eleven, LaLaRose was certain she wanted to be a pop star, just like the 90s divas her older sister adored – Madonna, Beyonce, or Brittney Spears. “I really adored the empowered, sassy energy of those artists,” remembers LaLa Rose. “That eventually led me to make similar high energy, pop-infused hooks in my own music.”

And her hooks deliver. LaLa Rose animates her sizzling, addictive choruses with an ecstatically defiant attitude. Her verses burn with a thrilling confidence, and hit with the force of a meteor. She displays a gratifying devil-may-care attitude, as she flirts and struts her way through one banger after another. There’s an air of 90s Lauryn Hill in her vigorous, soulful vocals, and the tight horns and pocket grooves share elements in common with the vintage stylings of producers like Mark Ronson. But LaLa Rose’s charm extends well beyond a clever retroness, into slyer, more modern sensibilities; for one thing, she has a lot in common with the sultry sass of artists like Dua Lipa. She’s a brilliant blend of the best elements in both old and new pop music. Full of joy, and carefully calibrated for maximum impact, LaLa Rose is sure to be stuck in your ear even days after a first listen, and audiences will be desperate for more of that addictive feeling. [ less ]