A Quick Chat with Rosalie Chilvers

Congratulations on your debut EP! How does it feel now that it’s out?

Nothing has ever felt better. I feel so lucky and excited and honoured that people are listening to it and enjoying it. It feels like a release, I have had these songs for so long, I’m ready for them to have new lives. I feel a little bit like I've just given birth. I hope people keep listening and loving it for years to come.

You’ve said that if someone breaks your heart or hurts your feelings, you’ll write a song about them. How do you balance vulnerability with empowerment in your songwriting?

I think the most important part of songwriting for me personally is to feel like the story and my truth has been conveyed. I no longer worry about the person on the other end's feelings because most of the time, no one knows who the song is about. I try to be very upfront. I also like to make sure that what I am saying through the lyrics shows that I am strong and fierce and cut-throat, which I believe is both vulnerable because I'm a little crazy and empowering because it's my truth.

The EP includes tracks like ‘Affection Deficit Disorder’, what inspired that song, and how did it evolve during production?

That song stemmed from a really crazy week. I was diagnosed with ADHD the same day I realised I was falling in love with someone. It felt like a lot of highs and lows. I was on this medication for the first time that made me feel very numb and yet I was having huge feelings at the same time, and I didn’t know what to do with myself. So I sat down and wrote a song about it. The title to me came from a play on ‘ADD’ being attention deficit disorder, and I turned it into Affection Deficit Disorder.

During production, the song really blossomed. I was listening to a lot of Maisie Peters and Chappell Roan at the time, and I wanted to make a pop/rock song with lots of crowd vocals and synths and just electronic magic. I really feel that this song has some of the best lyrics I have ever written and I hope people through this EP go back to listen to this song again and really hear it.

You launched the EP with an acoustic show and music video screening at The Backlot Perth. How important is live performance to your storytelling and connection with fans?

Yes, that first tour show went amazing. I think live performance is everything to me. I feel the most at home on stage, dancing and singing and telling my stories. I think especially all ages and under 18 shows get the most into it. They dance and sing with me too and it’s the best feeling in the world. I also think having that connection where a lot of them feel like they know me is really lovely because it makes me want to deliver for them. I can't wait to take this EP on the road around WA and perform it for everyone who will listen.

Your sound blends pop rock with deeply personal lyrics. Who are some of your musical influences, and how have they shaped the sonic identity of this EP?

I have so many it's kind of hard to narrow them down. As all young girls do, I discovered Taylor Swift when I was nine and I feel 1989 and reputation are some of my biggest influences. I also listen to a lot of pop/punk, Daisy Grenade, Paramore, Honey Revenge have all really shaped what music I want to make in the last year. Once everyone has listened to this EP lots and lots, I really implore you to go listen to ‘The Good Witch' by Maisie Peters as that's my favorite album maybe ever and I think sounds very similar to what I make now.

Looking ahead, what do you hope listeners take away from "Don't Play In Traffic," and how do you see your music evolving in future releases?

Right now, I truly have no idea. This feels like my life's work so far and of course I definitely have songs cooking away in the background and concepts I want to make, but I am just going to enjoy this EP for a while. I could see myself making some pop/punk or leaning fully pop but I will always be a rockstar on stage and at heart.