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Rose Carleo

Rose_Carleo Listen to "Get Back Up Again" by Rose Carleo.

Listen to "That Season Again" by Rose Carleo.

Rose Carleo laughs at the title of her new album, Life Gets in the Way, because it has been that life – with its many highs and lows, joys and sorrows – that’s made her such a perceptive songwriter.

“I always draw from personal experience when I’m writing, but I think the most important thing as a songwriter is to make those emotions and stories universal, so that they connect with everyone who hears the songs,” Rose said.

“I’ve been through a lot in my life, but there is always a positive side to every difficult experience – you emerge a much stronger and more understanding person. The important thing is to embrace life, to live every moment and appreciate its richness and diversity.”

And that is exactly what the songs on Life Gets in the Way do. From the title track, which perfectly captures Rose’s philosophy of seizing the moment, to the tender mother and daughter chat of “Live to Love

Another Day” and the powerful “Break the Chain”, Rose is able to access and communicate those powerful emotions that make the world go around.

But it isn’t only sadness and heartbreak that inspire Rose. Songs such as the steamy, evocative “That Season Again” and the joyful, no-holds-barred “Like a Mustang” capture the other extreme of emotion, the sheer joy of living.

“My songs are raw, earthy and emotional – but most of all they’re real. They come from a very heartfelt place, and I think that comes across on the album,” Rose said.

“For me, the song is the boss – it dictates the recording, the performance. Whether I’ve written a song or not, the really important thing is that it makes a connection with both me, and those who are listening to it.”

These are the songs of a woman who’s lived life, experienced its joys and disappointments and been able to assimilate the lessons she’s learnt.

“I have no regrets about not being 18 years old and a size 8 – to me, the richness of a life lived is priceless. I really value everything I’ve experienced in my life, because it has made me who I am. Like everyone, I keep evolving, and so does my music,” Rose said.

“I’m so proud of this album – of the songs, the production and the way it holds together. It is very much me, and I’m more comfortable in my own skin than I’ve ever been.”

Rose’s musical career began back in Western Australia, when her mother Mary — a respected music promoter — challenged her to take to the stage. Sadly, Mary passed away when Rose was still a teenager, but she’s remained her daughter’s inspiration. In fact, “Break the Chain” is a celebration of not only Mary but all the other strong women in Rose’s family.

“I’ve been through a fair bit in my life. My mum became ill when I was very young, and I spent a lot of my childhood looking after her. I had to grow up fast, and I guess I experienced things early on that many people never do. Because of that, I have a real appreciation of and respect for life,” Rose said.

In 2007, Rose released her debut album, Everything I Need. Since then, she’s been named the Silver Medallion winner for Best New Talent at the Queensland Gold Medallion Awards and took out the 2008 TIARA Award for Vocal Collaboration with friend and songwriting partner Drew McAlister. Drew and Rose cowrote seven of the twelve tracks on Life Gets in the Way.

Rose and Drew were also finalists in the Vocal Collaboration section of the 2008 CMAA Awards, and Rose has featured in the finals of the Female Vocal sections of the 2008 and 2009 Southern Stars Independent Country Music Awards and the 2009 TIARA Awards. She was also a finalist in the 2008 ASA Songwriting Awards.

Over the past three years, Rose’s rich and soulful voice has been heard at many festivals throughout Australia, including the Gympie Muster, Mud Bulls and Music, Mildura, Urban Country Music Festival, Boyup Brook, Bridgetown Blues Festival, and Tamworth Country Music Festival. She has supported some of Australia’s leading country artists, amongst them Beccy Cole, Adam Brand and McAlister Kemp. Rose averages 200+ gigs per year.

Life Gets in the Way was recorded in Nashville and on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and was coproduced by Rose, Robert Mackay and Michael Flanders. Apart from Rose and Drew, the album features a stellar cast of songwriters, including Anthony Snape, Allan Caswell, Phil Barton, Matt Scullion, Tamara Stewart and Mike Carr.

The album was launched to radio on ABC Radio’s Saturday Night Country on Saturday 18^th December 2010. The album was launched with a ‘live ‘performance at the Tamworth Country Music Festival on Wednesday 19^th January 2011 followed by a Sydney launch at Rooty Hill RSL Club on Thursday 3^rd February 2011.

Rose’s first radio single (from new album, “Life Gets in the Way”), “That Season Again” has reached #3 on the National CMR Chart and the accompanying clip reached #31 on the CMC TOP 50 Chart.

Rose’s second radio single “Runaway Heart” debuted at #29 with a bullet on the National CMR Chart in June 2011.