A Chat with Maria Rosa (24.03.25)
Maria Rosa is an artist whose journey is defined by resilience, self-empowerment, and a deep connection to music. Her new single ‘Glow’ embodies her message of embracing positivity and staying true to oneself. She reflects on her personal experiences, including overcoming challenges in both her career and personal life, and shares the impact of her diverse background – from her childhood love of music to her time as a cheerleader for the Boston Celtics. We speak with Maria Rosa to discuss her new single ‘Glow’, future plans, and more.
OSR: Maria, your music speaks to resilience and self-empowerment. How do you stay grounded and motivated despite the challenges you’ve faced?
Maria: My determination, strength, and faith in God keep me grounded. No matter what gets thrown my way, I do my best to dodge it or get up from the impact and use it to my advantage. I look at my shortcomings and failures and turn them into lessons learned and extravagance. It is another chance to do better, get better, and get that cheddar, baby. Music and meditation also helps. If I fall, I get back up and try again. Best believe that the next time, I will succeed. Not only succeed but learn from my mistakes. I tune into myself and keep my faith in God. Prayer is another way I get through the challenges in life. I focus on my goals, music and my family. My family comes first. My children are my number one priority in life. Being present for them also helps me get through the trials and tribulations of life.
OSR: You’ve always had a natural passion for music since childhood. What was it about music that drew you in at such a young age, and how has that connection deepened over time?
Maria: My innate reaction to music. Since I was a child I could feel the rhythm of a beat enter through my feet and I became hypnotized and began to move my body and use my vocals to feel the music. Some people hear music, others feel it. I have a natural instinct for it. I let the music write itself. I let the beat move me. I ride the beat as it portrays. It is innate in me. I started singing, dancing, and performing at a young age. I began recording my own songs in 2004 and it was not an easy journey. I failed many times but I continue to believe in myself. I have always known I was meant to make music. My mother told me I sing in my sleep. I also studied music theory and continue to study music to this day. I have found there is always something new to learn. I continue to get better and better. I strive for greatness and tune out the noise. I tell myself. Stay focused, you got this. I leave it in God’s hands.
OSR: Your single ‘Glow’ carries a powerful message about staying true to oneself. Can you share a time when you had to stand up for yourself in your career or personal life?
Maria: Oh boy, I have a plethora of examples I could share. As I have had to stand up for myself on many occasions. I have learned to pick and choose your battles wisely. Not every battle is worth fighting. Your safety is the priority. However, if you have to fight for what you believe is right, I encourage that. I can share a career story.
I had a job as an operations manager assistant and was in line for the Operations Manager position as I was already performing the Operations Manager duties all on my own. However, I was looked over and the job was given to someone outside the organization. Which is fine. My problem was the person they hired could not perform the job, and I was still doing the job when that person came on and not being compensated or recognized for my hard work. I brought it to HR’s attention, and they did nothing about it. They said she could do whatever she wanted because she was the “boss”. So I said ok, she is the Boss, then she can do the job herself I respectfully resigned from the position. I am the Boss of my life and I choose to leave because I can do whatever I want as the “BOSS” of my own life. I left the job and moved on to an even better position where I made double what I was making in that position. Now that is how you level up. Mind you, that person did not last very long after I left because she could not perform the job. That is what you call a Checkmate. Let it go and glow. And I am still GLOWing and Growing. On to bigger and better things.
OSR: How did your experience as a Boston Celtics cheerleader influence your music and stage presence?
Maria: Being a cheerleader helped mould the person I am today. I am outgoing and I love to motivate and cheer other people on in their endeavours and successes. I learned discipline and how to work as a team with others. It was my avenue to perform. To let my alter ego fly. I am an entertainer at heart. As a competitive cheerleader it was exuberating to perform the routines and hit every move, nail every stunt, land every flip. It took practice, practice, practice. Practice makes perfect. We practised so much that by the time competitions or game night came we were ready to perform. We were hired on the spot for the Boston Celtics 2003 season and started the cheerleading franchise that still exists today. Hard work and dedication are what it takes to succeed in any endeavour. I use this knowledge I learned as a Boston Celtics cheerleader in my performances today. You have to be ready to be ready. I make sure I am always ready. Stay focused and practice, practice, practice. If you mess up, keep going, and save the performance. If your skirt falls off, leave it, and keep going. The show must go on.
OSR: What advice would you give to aspiring female artists who are just starting out, especially those juggling multiple responsibilities like motherhood or full-time jobs?
Maria: My advice to aspiring female artists is to take one thing at a time. Do not rush it. Take your time with it. Truly study the art and stay true to yourself. Make sure you are surrounded by the right people that have your best interest at heart. Do not force it. The best thing I ever did was take my time studying the art of music, and music theory, and surround myself with the right people. Be smart and make educated decisions. Don’t follow the crowd, go your own way. Believe in yourself and never let anyone dim your light.
OSR: After years of working behind the scenes, what does it feel like to finally be in the spotlight and releasing your own music to the world?
Maria: Like my morning coffee. It feels amazing. A purpose fulfilled. I feel like I can breathe again. I am content. I am the happiest I have ever been in my life. My depression has subsided. I truly believe my battle with depression had a lot to do with the fact that I was not truly living until I started focusing on myself and my music. Really take it seriously. Even my children see my happiness and it motivates them to be better in school, be better kids and make good decisions. Thanks to all the changes I have made in my life like focusing on my music, taking care of myself, meditation, and therapy, my children are growing up with a happy mother.
OSR: What was the process of creating your debut EP like? Were there any particular moments during production that really stood out to you?
Maria: My mother passed away on 10/30/20. This was the catalyst for my EP. When I lost my mother, I felt a shift in the universe. My life changed in an instant. I became a different person. Still me, but different. More amped up. I felt ready to make a change. Make a difference in my life and maybe help others in the process to change their lives for the better. I felt an urge to follow my dreams. Go for it. I felt determined to finish my album that I began to record in 2004.
I went into the studio in April of 2023 and started recording my EP. I even had writer’s block for about a decade. When I lost my mom, it was like a floodgate opened up in my mind. I started writing again, playing guitar and piano. I wrote my wedding vow song on my guitar called ‘Where Have You Been’. Then, my EP was born. I now feel accomplished. I became determined to make my mother proud. That is my focus now is making her proud. One of the things on her bucket list was to see me perform my own music on the grand stage. Momma, I am working on that, but in the meantime my music is now streaming. Look at me now. I miss her every day. It is so hard without her. I find solace in knowing she is looking down on me, smiling.
What stood out to me was when I sang my first EP song to my producer, tears came down my face. It was such a beautiful moment. I knew right there I was right where I was meant to be. Making music. I could not believe how naturally it came to me that being in that booth was magic. My roots grow from underneath the booth.
OSR: You’ve clearly had a diverse musical upbringing. How do you continue to evolve as an artist while staying authentic to your roots?
Maria: I continue to evolve by staying true to myself. Thinking outside the box. I look for inspiration in movies, shows, or things I see on the news. I take my own experiences and turn them into art. My music is a reflection of me and what I have been through. I continue to study the art of music, and music theory, and practice guitar and piano. Continue to exercise my voice with vocal training. I take care of my voice and stay away from anyone or anything that is toxic or causes me any grief. I let it go. I stay away from the drama. I have had my fair share of the drama, no thank you.
OSR: Your single ‘Glow’ is about releasing negativity and embracing positivity. Do you have any rituals or habits you use to stay focused and keep your energy aligned with your goals?
Maria: My ritual is staying focused on making myself better every day. I strive for greatness, learn new things, read a book, meditate, and take care of my voice. All of these tools help keep my goals aligned. Meditation also helps me create my music and come up with new ideas. Tune into yourself. You will be amazed at what you find.
OSR: Finally, Maria, if you could perform anywhere in the world, where would it be, and who would you love to collaborate with next?
Maria: If I could perform anywhere in the world, it would be at the Grammy’s. That would be a dream come true, but really anywhere in the world would be an honour for me to perform. I would love to share with the world what I can do. I would love to collaborate with Eminem. My daughter is also a huge fan of Eminem. She has written letters to him that we sent to his fan club. She has never mentioned any artist but Eminem. I don’t blame her, he is the greatest.
Many thanks to Maria Rosa for speaking with us. Find more about Maria Rosa on her Spotify.
