On Feb. 7, 2024, Rosie Ayala released her fifth and longest album, “Shadow of the Heart,” since first releasing music in May of 2022. Better known by her musical name, Rosie’s Haven, the singer/songwriter released five singles leading up to this 26-minute album.

The artist posted on their Instagram about 10 times in the weeks leading up to the release: sneak peeks of the songs, clips from her music videos and advertisements for an album release party that was held the day after the album’s release.

Ayala said that the album is much chiller than her work of the past and that she would describe it as R&B, much less experimental than her past albums. Nevertheless, Ayala brings in her typical overlapping vocals, electronic beats and deeply emotional and reflective lyrics.

As the album’s title suggests, the project tours the highs and lows of Rosie’s Haven’s romantic life. Ayala makes repeated reference to her partner and the beauty and novelty of their love. The album’s catchy and creative lyrics, Ayala’s impressive vocal inflections and her ethereally captivating voice make for an enthralling listen. 

“Don’t take it Personal”

This song starts with high-pitched, echoing vocals that are quickly overcome by the lower, steady chorus that make up the rest of the song. Ayala gets vulnerable about how she feels in a relationship, reflecting on the isolating effect of feeling like she’s not good enough for the person she’s with. “Told you to move on, I’m not who you want/I keep breaking hearts/I’m not who you want/Told you don’t take it personal/working through this shit, better on my own.”

“Hard Love”

This slow song with a simple beat is lethargic yet expressive with an angelic chorus that showcases Ayala’s impressive vocal range in the latter part of the song. It reflects similar feelings of despair and pain as the previous song, saying that she “found it hard to see the light, a gloomy morning.” 

“Counting Down the Days”

Ayala’s conflicting feelings about pursuing love dominate this passionate and hopeful song, expressing her fear of things going wrong but deciding the love she felt outweighed everything else. “I’m letting myself fall deep/and my soul’s yours to keep/begging words to cure the weak/letting her kiss my cheek.” This song was used creatively by the artist as a sneak peek and countdown for her album release, as the title was repeated throughout the song. 

“Weak Enough”

Once again, Ayala conveys the pain and confusion associated with love, reflecting feeling undeserving of the beautiful love they share with their partner, yet eternally grateful. “Hard to fight our need for pleasure, I think we’re better off together.”

“Staying for You”

The first lyric, “there’s a shifting in the air/see I’m existing anywhere/if that means you’ll be by my side,” sets the tone for the sappy romantic theme of the song. Ayala expresses the certainty and passion that she has come to associate with her partner, showcasing her capacity for varying her intonation and sound throughout the song.

“Took the Colors”

The rhythm and ups and downs of Ayala’s vocals in this song make it unique and emotional, but the strong beat gets the listener wanting to dance. This song touches on insecurity and heartache, asking “why were you never there? Do you even really care?”

“How are You?”

The transition from the previous song flows smoothly and resonates with the same uncertainty and reflection, though Ayala brings in sentiments of jealousy. “Wonder what you’re doing, wonder if you’re still around…” is an example of the thoughtful reflection that fills Rosie’s Haven’s music.

Over 90 people came to support Ayala when she debuted her album at her album release party on Feb. 9 after a new band called ‘When the Sun Explodes’ got the crowd going as her opener.

Listen to Rosie’s Haven on any streaming platform and don’t forget to follow her Instagram @rosies_haven for any other upcoming shows or information.