Artist of the Year nominee De Rose is having the type of year every emerging musician dreams about. Fresh off two Basadi in Music Awards nominations, the 25-year-old singer is quickly becoming one of amapiano’s most exciting voices. But while the spotlight is getting brighter, she’s more interested in protecting the one thing she believes can’t be copied: her individuality.
The Umlazi-born musician opened up to Sowetan about avoiding industry pressure, why she refuses to imitate other artists, and the advice that could save young musicians from getting exploited.
How does it feel to be nominated for Newcomer of the Year and Best Female Feature of the Year at the Basadi in Music Awards?
It’s honestly one of those moments where you stop and realise people are finally seeing the work you’ve been putting in. Awards are never the reason you start making music, but they do remind you that people are paying attention. For me, it’s emotional because I’ve been doing this for years. A lot of people think I just appeared out of nowhere because they’ve only started hearing my name recently, but I’ve been recording since 2018. Every song, every session and every setback led to this moment.
People often say you’ve “blown up” overnight, but that’s not really your story, is it?
Not at all. I’ve been working for a long time. I moved to Johannesburg in 2022 and joined Soul Family. We released music that didn’t necessarily become massive hits, but those projects introduced me to people who still remember my voice today. Then Hello came out, and suddenly people started asking: “Where has she been?” I’ve always been here. That’s why I appreciate opportunities like this interview because they give people a chance to understand that there were years of work before the recognition came.
What keeps you confident in such a competitive genre like amapiano?
Before I moved to Johannesburg, my dad gave me advice that has stayed with me ever since. He told me there would always be another De Rose arriving in Joburg every week with the same dream. At first, that sounded intimidating, but then I realised I couldn’t spend my career worrying about who else was coming. The only thing I could control was making sure nobody could sound like me. That’s why I never want people telling me who I should sound like in studio. People should listen to my music and hear De Rose. That’s what makes me different.
What has surprised you the most about the music industry?
How important the business side of music is. When you first enter the industry, you’re just excited that people want to work with you. You don’t always think about contracts, publishing or ownership.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is simple: get your paperwork straight. You can be famous and have people singing your songs and still not see the financial rewards if you don’t understand the business. I’m fortunate because my team took the time to teach me those things instead of just expecting me to know.
Who is De Rose when she’s not performing?
I’m actually very quiet. I spend a lot of time by myself, and I enjoy that. I love painting because it allows me to switch off creatively, and I journal a lot. I write down my goals, the things I still need to improve and where I want my life to go. I’m also constantly listening to music. Before amapiano, I was deeply into R&B and hip hop, and I still love discovering artists that most people don’t know yet. I pay attention to how they write, how they approach melodies and how they tell stories because inspiration can come from anywhere.
When you picture the next few years, what do you see?
I see myself headlining my own shows with between 5,000 and 10,000 people singing every word. Of course, I want to become one of the country’s biggest-selling artists, but success isn’t only about numbers. I want young people from my community to look at me and believe that their dreams are possible too.
