With her musical career firmly back in her grasp, Maggie Rose and her well rounded team set their sights on one vital area… expansion. Breaking free from the chains that bound her to the country music world, Rose immediately expanded her sound to showcase a range that went well beyond just country. The world was finally able to see Rose was more than a one trick country pony. With a natural vocal range that covered all aspects of country, rock, and soul, Rose expanded her fan base as well.
Her next album did just what the title said Change the Whole Thing. Gone was the contrived multi-take country recording process. In fact, the album was recorded live in the studio with no overdubs. A complete 180 degree turn from her previous path of well intentioned country execs. She was working with Narvel Blackstock at Starstruck who gave Rose the creative control to get her purest music into the world. There’s certainly a country flavor in the album. This time Rose showcases her pop and R&B abilities. She offers her expanding fan base a wider, far-ranging musical path that she previously hadn’t been allowed to travel.
“I knew I could go in several directions vocally. I had to pick my lane. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should do it all. If it’s true to you, you can transcend genres. I have more focus. That was harder to put my finger on initially because I can sing a lot of different styles musically.”
Rose continues, “I listen to different styles of music. When I was growing up it was the era of the female diva. Whitney, Mariah, Christina, The Chicks, Faith Hill, Lauryn Hill. Women were dominating the pop charts. I got to see it and hear it knowing it could be me. Everything is cyclical. There were so many great singers when I was developing my taste at an early age.”Â
With an expanded sound and fan base, Rose found herself being pulled towards the jam band scene. An open space where she could just be Maggie Rose and focus as she always had on her live performances. She has released her sets from the 2019 and 2022 jam heavy Peach Music Festival. It’s no easy feat for a vocalist to thrive in a world of in the moment, instrumental driven music. That hasn’t slowed or changed Rose’s focus on the importance of playing live. “We’ve toured with the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Andy Frasco is a good friend of mine. We are lyrically driven artists. Which isn’t what you’d see in the typical jam band. It’s the community we love. The fact there is such an emphasis on the live performance. Andy’s band is really talented and provide a different show in the jam band experience. I feel we’re similar too.”
Rose had built enough momentum to get past the “hiccup” years of covid. She notes being forced off the road left her shaky and with a bit of an imposter syndrome. By the time the world reopened for business, Rose was ready to record and hit the road. She teamed up again with Blackstock. This time they added Ben Tanner of the Alabama Shakes and recorded at Muscle Shoals legendary Fame studio. The output, 2021’s Have a Seat further distanced Rose from her country only persona.
“Narvel believes in Austin and I so much. We’ve been given the free rein to make the art we want to make. He essentially served as my record label for Change the Whole Thing and Have a Seat. We could have had other partners to work with but they weren’t going to let us be who we are. I owe so much of the productivity and having constant music coming out due to Narvel’s belief in me. Now he gets to just be a manager. I’m sure he’s relieved.”
Rose took a look inward for her latest release No One Gets Out Alive. She worked with Tanner again. This time for another record label, Big Loud. The rapidly growing Nashville label restored Rose’s faith in the city’s ability to attract more than country artists. “I still feel Nashville contributes so much to the music we digest. There are some of the best songwriters here. Big Loud is trying to emphasize that and draw upon all that talent. They’re young enough as a label they want to involve themselves and be known for more versatility and giving artists resources other people aren’t taking chances on.”
Rose adds, “I was jaded about the different organizations on music row. Finally, I wasn’t expected to make a record and walk in with it fully finished and mastered. It was crazy. Made me second guess that I was selling Nashville short. The town is evolving into more than country.”
No One Gets Out Alive is an example Rose’s full confidence in who she is as a musician. It’s very personal. She’s goes big with full orchestral arrangements without bombarding the listener with overly produced passages. Rose took a chance and it paid off. “A lot of the subject matter on the record is more introspective than anything I’ve done before. It was coming from a lonelier place. I had to write what I was feeling at the time. There was a lot of loss in my life. Friendships and people who passed away. I found some soothing in that by writing these songs.”
“The previous albums contributed to how I approached this one. Trying to get more live vocals. I worked with Ben Tanner again on this record. Because these songs were so personal, I felt working with Ben previously and having a great relationship with him, it felt like a safe place to explore these songs.”
“The bigness of this album is more nuance and cinematic.” Rose muses. “There’s an epic ness from the orchestra and the drama at the end of No One Gets Out Alive. I had a reason to put a sad song at the very end. It was a reprise to say hey you may have heard something a little different and it might have more anger and sadness than you’ve heard from me. That’s how I feel right now and that’s what I needed. Maybe you needed it to. It wasn’t an apology, but an acknowledgement the subject matter was different. The album is also about me being grateful to be alive. The urgency is now. Even if you’ve lost people or relationships. There is still so much beauty out there.”
After finding the path for her steps alone, Rose’s musical output is soaring. She has a team in place that’s focused solely on continuing the expansion she’s experienced in the last few years. She’s put in the time and has made the right connections to take her talents to the next level. And the level above that. Rose concludes, “We’re getting a lot of traction with Fake Flowers. Put us on any late night show and we’ll pick up some new fans. I’d like to go overseas and tour Europe. I think they’re such a progressive audience they would like this music a lot. I want to keep making music this way. I like the fact I have a real life and the family/work balance that allows me to be creative. We’re hard working but I don’t want to lose sight of the things that make the songs come together. Brandi Carlisle’s career looks pretty good to me. She’s someone who evolved and didn’t stick to one script. I’m hoping my audience will be conditioned to understand that’s the direction I want to go.”