Making Bold Moves -breaking-boundaries-the-story-of-rowlene
Singer/songwriter Rowlene’s very random voyage to London, followed subsequently by LA, when she sought out purpose in her life and her music career in early 2022, has yielded the fruits of a deep desire to take on the challenge of revolutionizing the R&B scene in Mzansi.
By doing so, the innovator seeks to create RnB spaces dubbed RnB Nights where other female creatives get a platform to be seen and heard, in turn building a community that opens the way for collaborations and the expansion of Mzansi’s RnB scene.
“I feel like there aren’t many spaces for us to perform. So I want to help discover more of these platforms, more artists within those platforms, and create safe spaces to just be. And I believe that if someone starts, others will realize this need, and then more of such spaces will be established,” she said in between getting ready for her inaugural session.
But before this dream came to fruition, Rowlene found herself in a very heavy time of her life and needed an escape.
For her, that looked like booking a trip within her birthday week in 2022 that was initially meant to last for a week but was extended to six months. With the muso getting sucked in by London’s music culture, which was so electrifying, it injected a new fire within her. It was the niche musical spots, the exclusive clubs, and the respect for music that hooked her. Her love for music escalated.
So during that stay, I learned so much about myself and how much I can do if and when I set my mind to it. Because it was the first solo trip I had taken with no team, I had to navigate those days by myself. But from that initial trip, I traveled to LA and then New York, and because of those daring moves, I feel like I can do anything alone, and I am more bold to start things and do things,” she said.
Rowlene’s name was solidified on the music scene after the success of her song with Nasty C and SMA in 2019, but her dance with the craft had started years before. During the times of makeshift studios, which led to her releasing her debut EP in 2015,
“I think I realized there was no other option besides music when I was around 18 or 19 years old, during my first year of university. And as cliche as this might sound, it was so hard for me to focus in school. What I thought I was passionate about enough to pursue in school became heavy to carry and actually always made me sad.
“My personality and the essence of who I was changed. Instead of investing my time in something that I knew I was good at, I was practicing something that I was mediocre at. I was in desperate need of the right people to inspire me and encourage me to choose my passion because, at the time, no one in my family or around me understood this urge. A turning point was when I moved to Jozi with no plan and not knowing anyone.
“I knew I had to make this dream work because going home was not an option,” she said.
After having an epiphany that life is too short to waste on things one isn’t passionate about, the leap of faith to the City of Gold meant she needed to consistently redefine the dream as she went, but giving up was never on the cards.
“The reasons as to why I was pursuing the career were so much bigger than the money. I wake up way before my alarm every single day,” she said, laughing. “At first, I thought it was anxiety, but in hindsight, my passion pushes me that much. I am grateful that I am able to pursue my passion while also turning that into a career,” she said.
Her tenacity in pursuing music, her best friend, and her outlet—as she describes it—has afforded her opportunities to perform on big stages and gained her numerous accolades and an impressive collaboration’s list.
The success of her 2022 EP titled Frequency, born during that time of her seeking for more, was proof enough that indeed more was available for her musically, and that inspired her to create more music.
She recently released a 3-track EP, Moments in Between, a method that she found works for her when releasing music—in small bites that cater to the shortened attention span that exists within society right now. But those three songs are packed with enough to make her mark.
“The songs are straight to the point and are so good that you will want to listen to them again and again. And with this project, I wanted to re-establish my flavor because being a diverse artist can also become confusing to the audience. So I just wanted an introduction to what the rest of my projects and album are going to sound like. The album is done, and this project is just the beginning of where I want to go.
“‘Moments in Time’ is also to say that it can only get better from here onward. My listenership is going up, and everything is just going up—proof that with hard work and consistency, we can absolutely achieve anything.”
Rowlene promises a lot more music this year, from visuals to shows to more innovative projects—doing a lot more for her R&B community and the industry at large.
“I believe in just putting in the work and trusting that everything that is meant to be mine will find its way to me. And that whatever is perfectly aligned to my vision and to what I am supposed to be doing here on earth will manifest itself. I am just enjoying the ride to the destination. To my purpose:.
“The big dream is to own a record label that considers mental health issues, places the artist’s needs first, and offers quality support. A recording label that is a stepping stone and doesn’t hold anyone back. I want something different based on my experiences—a different reality for artists—that can guarantee that no one else makes the same mistakes I made or goes through what I went through. I just want to be the catalyst for change, and I am ready for everything that is to come,” she said, adding that being more consistent in the business elements of her artistry is highly important.
“I am working hard to grow the business to be so big that I can fly big artists in from all over the world. Artists that are able to tell their stories and pour into this movement that I am creating.”
RnB Nights are hosted every Thursday evening. Follow her social media for more.
