From The Studio To The Spotlight with Anabel Rose

 

From The Studio To The Spotlight With Anabel Rose

Issue 7.0   Mar. 2026

Interview Conducted by Kolade Motirolaoluwa

Designed by Chiagozie Mbuba

Q. Can we get an insight into who Anabel Rose is?

A.  My name is Anabel Rose, and I'm half Filipino and half Ghanaian. I categorize myself as an alternative pop artist because I love experimenting with the genres I grew up with—I don't like being boxed in. My music focuses on emotions and vulnerability, especially my own. I grew up in Ghana and have only been to the Philippines a few times.

Q. You are what a lot of people would call a young prodigy as you started singing at the age of 8. What would you say led you into the creative space?

A. I started singing at 8 because, as someone with Filipino roots, singing is just in our blood. I loved Celine Dion and all the classics as a child. I was already enrolled in guitar classes at a young age too. Although I was performing, I didn't really see myself heading into the creative space until I became an adult. My first dream was actually becoming a scientist.

Q. As an artist of two nationalities, do you think your growing up as a part of two cultures influenced your craft?

A. It definitely has. Growing up with two cultures in my house gave me an early appreciation for both, and that translated into me fusing a lot of different influences into my music. It also helped add depth to what I create.

Q. As an Alternative Pop Artist,what influenced your style of music?

A. I'd say it's just the music I grew up with and trying to stay true to all the things that shaped me. After coming back from school abroad, Afrobeats would have been an easy route to take, but it wouldn't have been me staying true to myself. I love experimenting with my music.

Q. You are set to release a new song titled “Imperfect Daughters”. The title of this song speaks volume,so would you like to share with us the inspiration behind this title?

A. I grew up with music always being in my life and with really supportive parents. But I was chasing the dream of being a scientist because of societal pressure—I needed to make people proud of me. I ended up figuring out that science wasn't for me, although I still pursued computer science. At that point, I had to make a choice between what I felt people wanted and what I actually wanted. The greatest battle I faced was an internal one between myself and my younger self. That's basically where the title came from.

Q. Your style of music as you have always said is to tell a story which I believe was done perfectly on this song. How did the inspiration for this song come about?

A. I wrote this song early last year. My producer sent me a guitar loop, and I immediately recorded a freestyle to it. I think that's what gave it such raw emotion, coupled with the fact that I was in a really volatile space after quitting my 9-to-5. I had so many emotions, and music was simply my only escape. That's where the song came from.

Q. Pieces of Artists are often found in their songs, the melody and the lyrics. Are there pieces of you in “Imperfect Daughters"?

A. Yes, "Imperfect Daughter" is more than just a piece of me, it's literally me opening myself up to people in a completely vulnerable state.

Q. The emotions on “Imperfect Daughters” was raw and heartfelt,even if I say so myself. After writing the song,how was your post recording phase? Were you extremely picky with the beats and all of that? And how did you come up with the finished masterpiece?

A. It was a pretty straightforward process. After the guitar loop was sent, we went to the studio, and I told the producer what I wanted and how I wanted it. So it wasn't really hard to bring my vision to life. From the demo to the final masterpiece was a lot of work, and I'm really excited to see how people receive it.

Q. To all the daughters out there who think they are not enough or think they are a disappointment but are looking forward to listening to Imperfect Daughters,do you have any words for them?

A. Yes, I'm already getting some traction from the snippet. What I would say to anyone is: always put yourself first and listen to that voice inside of you. Even if your dreams feel scary or like they're too much, just keep going.

Q. The cover art and rollout for “Imperfect Daughters” has been impeccable so far. How did you come about the idea for the cover art?

A. I knew the song needed to lean heavy on nostalgia since I'm telling my story. I usually like to do random things for my cover art, but this song felt so raw that I knew I needed to use an old picture of me. The cover is an old photo of my mother and I, and I think it really drives that nostalgic feeling. There's also brown paper in the design, which reminded me of childhood.

Q. Being an artist is hard. However being an indie artist is even harder. How do you cope with the everyday struggles and pressure of being an artist?

A. I think my team grounds me because I'm an overthinker who's always spiraling about the voices in my head. But I'm also the only one who truly knows myself and my journey, which is quite easy to forget. So I always remind myself who I am, and I'm always learning.

Q. You are an artist with an impeccable discography,an amazing talent but has there ever been times when you felt like giving up and how did you handle it?

A. Yes, I've definitely had those moments for different reasons. As an artist, you're playing a long game where the results might not show immediately. Quitting my job and other random thoughts get into my head. Although I don't necessarily think about giving up, I do wonder how to be smarter about my journey.

Q. Writing Imperfect Daughters, what was the hardest emotion to translate into this song?

A. The hardest emotion was acceptance. I don't think anyone ever gets a warning before becoming an adult—we're just plunged into it. So writing this song took me through a lot, but it eventually brought me to a point of acceptance and made me see it as a moment of triumph.

Getting out of my head to write. Most times in studio sessions, even when I have ideas, I often keep quiet. But I'm trying to get out of my head about that.

Q. If this song was a movie scene, what would it look like?

A. For "Imperfect Daughter," I've imagined it in coming-of-age movies—in those scenes where everything is going wrong, and then the song plays and the female lead gets that kick to pull her life together and be where she wants to be.

Q. What should your Fans and lovers be expecting from you in the future?

A. "Imperfect Daughter" is leading up to my second EP, which is coming out in the middle of the year, and I'm really excited about it. I'm also working towards my own show at the end of the year.