Who is Ariana and the Rose as an artist? How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?
I've always described my music as synth catharsis. It's music you can dance to but not something I'd classify as "dance music" the way we define EDM today. My best-case scenario is someone is dancing, crying and singing their heart out on the dance floor to my songs. I'm in love with creating experiences; whether that's in a soundscape, a visual or a live show, my goal is to always to make something for people to get lost in and ultimately come out the other side feeling more creatively and emotionally free.
What can people expect from your performance as part of The Annie O Music Series?
I'm so excited to be performing and part of this esteemed series! We're doing something special for this show and performing everything stripped back and acoustic. I'm really looking forward to getting to sing these songs in an intimate setting. My music is filled out with heavy synths and drum machines and there is something so raw and special about getting to strip that all back to just the song. I'll be singing songs from a new EP I have coming out, so it will be so fun to see how the audience responds.
People often talk about how they feel the live scene in New York has gone away but I really disagree, I think it's just shifted.
You’ve become a presence in the NYC/Brooklyn performance world. How important is it for you to be able to connect with audiences in a live setting?
I feel really honored to be able to create unique live experiences, especially in Brooklyn. People often talk about how they feel the live scene in New York has gone away but I really disagree, I think it's just shifted. The artist community in NYC and Brooklyn is so rich and diverse right now. It's a mix of musicians, performance artists, drag queens, voguers, spoken word artists and everything in between. Being able to be part of and contribute to that community has been a dream of mine since I first started going out in New York. I'm a performer first and foremost, I create music to share and doing the live shows is the ultimate way to connect with fans. There is nothing like receiving the energy from a room of people moving to your music.
You will be performing a more stripped-down take on some of your high-octane pop songs, which will highlight your talents as a songwriter. What inspires your writing and how do you start a song from the ground-up?
I always start my songs from personal experiences. I love stories, whether that's a song, a play or a film, there's just something so moving and engaging about a really good story. So, I try to always write songs from that perspective. I write from experience but always try to expand the world of my songs to be a story people can step inside of, feel connected to and moved by.
What else can people expect from you in 2019?
This is going to be such an exciting year! I'm releasing new music starting in April all the way through the beginning of next year! I'll be putting out an EP over the summer and playing live shows all year. I'm headed out on tour in March with Weathers and will be planning my own headline dates to accompany the release of the EP as well as continue my immersive live music parties, Light + Space in Brooklyn. I can't wait to share the music with everyone and get to play it live.
