Foran’s music department offers a multitude of fascinating music courses, from composition to performance. Many students find themselves taking these classes to explore their interests and broaden their horizons. However, for sophomore and singer-songwriter Rose Bruno, her passion for creating music goes far beyond the classroom.
Bruno, under her pseudonym Rose B., writes, records, and produces her own EPs. She released Surrealism, her first EP, in April of 2024, but her journey of creating music dates back to very early in her life. She recalls that her songwriting began in her basement, stringing chords together on a small piano.
“Ever since I was little, I’ve just always liked singing in front of people,” she expresses.
Bruno started singing to music on YouTube. That changed very quickly, however, when she realized that she wanted to release her music. Starting during her freshman year, she utilized BandLab, teaching herself to create instrumentals from scratch. Bruno chose to fully immerse herself in her music production.
“I stopped doing sports,” she reveals, “I was like, I’m just going to commit to this.”
Reminiscent of the beginning of her journey, Bruno’s songwriting process often starts with piano chords as well. She then works on the verses, pre-chorus, and chorus, incorporating her melodies and lyrics. Her lyricism is mostly based in her real life, but Bruno writes a majority of her music to tell a story. “It seems like I’m writing about someone or something, but it’s usually not really based on anything specific. I kind of just make up lyrics at the beginning, and then whatever story or vibe it’s giving, I continue to make the rest of the song fit that same theme,” she elaborates.
Shortly after she turned 15, Bruno decided she wanted to start releasing her music to the public. She worked diligently to release Surrealism, and the titular track still holds the spot as her favorite song that she’s produced.
“It was one of the first songs I made,” Bruno reasons, “It was my own instrumental, and it’s a lot different from the other songs I’ve written.”
Right away, Bruno felt the thrill and liberation of putting her music out there.
“It was very exciting and I was just really happy that people were listening to my music,” she comments. “I feel like I have a lot of freedom now when it comes to releasing things, knowing that I can put my music on all platforms and not just BandLab or SoundCloud.”
Releasing her music has allowed her passion to touch those around her. Friend and listener of Bruno’s music, sophomore Amara Dalipi expresses that she enjoys Bruno’s lyrics because they often reflect a story.
“Rose has always loved music even when we were in elementary school,” Dalipi recalls, “Then about two years ago, she made her first song ‘Imaginary,’ and it sounded like singing was meant for her.”
Bruno finds that her sound is influenced by the singer of Romantic Homicide and Here With Me, d4vd.
“He started doing stuff on BandLab, too, and I’m really into a lot of his music,” she says.
While her lyrics may not always stem from personal experiences, Bruno’s dedication to music is clear in every aspect of her being. Beyond her own music, she also immerses herself in her passion in the performing arts through Foran’s band and drama programs, and the School of Rock.
Bruno participated in the Music Theory elective last year, which she believes helped her hone her songwriting skills. She plans to enroll in Music Tech next year to achieve her goal of improving on making instrumentals.
“Every single thing I do is music-related,” she remarks.
Bruno’s unwavering commitment to music has reached many within the Foran community. As she continues to further her work in singing and songwriting, it becomes abundantly clear that her story is far from over.
