First-year Rosie Ayala, also known by her stage name, Rosie’s Haven, lives by the words “create for yourself before others.” Although she would love to someday make a career of music, right now, as her name would suggest, she finds a safe space in her music.
From writing diss tracks about her peers in middle school to the instrumental rock style of her most recent album, “Mixed Emotions,” Ayala’s musical style has changed over the years, and she anticipates this evolution to continue throughout her career.
“Recently I’ve been trying out a lot of other genres because I don’t just want to do one thing, [my music is] really more experimental,” said Ayala.
Ayala feels that her music is her safe space and she wants to give others that feeling when they listen.
Her music is generally meaningful, and she wants people to connect with it when they listen in the same way that she does as she writes her songs. Her music makes her feel safe, a feeling she wants to be emanated in others when they listen.
“I really utilize songwriting as a therapeutic method. I look at music as a beautiful thing, it should take time, and it should have a story and emotion,” said Ayala.
Ayala is a hospitality management student who loves to paint and play soccer, which means it has been hard for her to commit time to music-making and performing.
“I did perform at an open-mic night but hopefully next year I can talk to people about putting on some shows… I need to put myself out there more,” reflected Ayala.
While Ayala appreciates DU’s dedication to uplifting student bands, she feels that they undervalue the talent of individual artists on campus. “They did Battle of the Bands but I think they should also do a single artists competition,” Ayala said.
But for Rosie’s Haven, summer is the most important time for her songwriting and music production. “College is awesome, but it takes me away from my music career. This summer will definitely be music oriented.”
Ayala’s twin, Maxxi, also happens to be her producer and her biggest inspiration, pushing Ayala to enter the music industry.
“In the beginning of high school, I took inspiration from my twin who had been producing and songwriting for a while. We started doing fun little songs [together], she would make a beat and I would sing over it,” said Ayala about her early music-making.
Ayala’s mother has been another of her biggest supporters. Ayala mentioned that her mom even insists on playing her music when family friends come over. They’re all proud of the progress she’s made, especially when she began releasing music on Spotify.
“Even though I don’t have a big fan base, it just feels so good to get my stuff out there,” said Ayala.
Over the summer, Ayala hopes to release two EPs, at least one music video and perform in a few shows around her hometown of New Orleans. “It’s a very music-inclined city so it was such a great environment [for me] to grow up in because people dedicate their lives to street performing and it’s just really inspiring.”
She can’t quite decide who her music’s intended audience is. She wants it to be enjoyed by any and everyone, though she reflects that it’s likely most appealing to queer, alternative people of her age group.
“I don’t try to write songs that will be catchy, I like to have a lot of meaning behind my words which is the stuff that I really want to release.”
Although her most recent album, “Mixed Emotions” was created with the idea of performing the songs in mind, Ayala said that what matters most to her is people truly connecting to her music.
“I think there’s more meaning [to the music] when people have their own individual experience with your songs,” Ayala said.
She explained that her creative process doesn’t really follow any guidelines and she likes to go with the flow but says that production “is really easy with Maxxi, it’s usually just one and done.”
Check out Rosie’s Haven on Spotify and follow to stay updated.
“A lot is coming this summer so keep an eye out,” said Alaya.
