Ariel Rose - Star of Tomorrow

Ariel Rose is a Miami-based singer/songwriter who is an upcoming artist you don't want to miss. She has performed at various events across the country and has a growing fan base. She has gone from being an award-winning artist at the age of 15 to being the featured vocalist on a Suncoast Emmy-winning project called River of the Last Valley. Ariel Rose is a fan of Latin multi-cultural sounds, and it shows on her debut album Rythems of Life, produced by Grammy-nominated Colombian producer Juan Vicente Zambrano, which was recorded in both English and Spanish. Ariel also partnered with United Way to raise funds for the Miami Pandemic Response through her single "Somebody Loves You." If she wasn't already impressive, she also recently released "In Paraso", a new EP with four songs in both Spanish and English. Continue reading to learn more about her Latin influences and musical style, as well as her new EP "In Paraso", and the various charities she supports.

Where are you based?
I am based in the beautiful Miami, Florida! Growing up in Miami influenced my overall style because we have a melting pot of different cultures with so much diversity! There is a lot of Latin music here and I have always loved the rhythms and instrumentation of Latin music. People come here from all over the world and I feel really grateful to have been able to grow up in such an incredible place.

Congrats on your new album “In Paraíso”! Can you tell us a bit about it?
Thank you so much! “In Paraíso” is my new Spanglish Tropical EP that takes influences from reggaeton, pop, salsa, and trap. It is about new beginnings and finding your own version of happiness and inner peace, which I refer to as “paradise.” Each song reveals a new part of the story.

I collaborated with the Latin Grammy winning/Grammy nominated producer Tony Succar, his brother Kenyi, as well as the Latin Grammy nominated producer duo Mike Munoz and Gio Fernandez. I wrote the first song, “Let Me Go” with Tony Succar, Kenyi, and we featured Dominican rapper LORS. It is a salsa trap song with pop influences and is about questioning whether to stay or leave a relationship. I start the entire EP with the line, “You got me thinking this is how our story ends”, and then go on to sing, “If I left, would you go right? Would you chase me through the night or would you let me go?” I wanted to depict the back and forth feeling of contemplating whether to stay or leave a relationship. And it was super cool to have LORS add his urban flair to the track!

Through the second song, “En el Paraíso” I talk about making the decision to finally leave the relationship and do what’s best for me. The third song, “Atrapada,” is my favorite! It is about having fun and meeting a possible new love interest. I collaborated with salsa giants Jorge Luis Piloto and Tony Succar on this song and it was such an amazing experience! I’ve always wanted to record an original salsa song and “Atrapada” will definitely make you want to dance! Lastly, “Your Lovin’” is the ballad off of my EP. I knew I wanted the final song to depict the feeling of being on a beach at night, watching the sunset next to a romantic fire pit, wrapped in the arms of the one you love. And that is how I end the story!

We love that your sound is a mix of sounds from Peru, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Cuba and the United States. Why was this important to you?
I think there is so much to learn from different cultures and from other people. I really wanted this EP to be diverse and celebrate people from various backgrounds. I am always meeting new people from all over the world and expanding my knowledge of other cultures and this EP is true to who I am not only as an artist but also as a human being and I feel honored to have been able to have such incredibly talented musicians, producers and collaborators from all over represented.

What are your Latin influences?
Well first off, growing up in Miami, I was exposed to Latin culture at a very early age. I may not be Latina by blood, but Miami is my culture. Here we have music festivals and many different events and things to do that are very worldly and fun! In fact, my very first concert was seeing Ricky Martin perform when I was only six years old! He was my favorite performer growing up and I would listen to his albums on repeat. He sang songs both in English and Spanish, which I always thought was so cool! Also, my cousins are half Cuban and Colombian, and many of my friends are Latin, so I was constantly surrounded by Latin culture. I love the music, the food, and how beautiful and warm-hearted the people are.

When writing your songs single, how did you decide what lyrics should be in English and which should be in Spanish?
I think it all just came naturally. I knew I wanted a pretty even balance of Spanish and English in the EP and I knew that I wanted my salsa song to be mostly all in Spanish (although there is a little English twist at the end!) It happened very easily and very naturally.

Your title track ‘En el Paraíso’ is super fun! What is the story behind this song?
Thank you! “En el Paraíso” is about leaving a relationship and doing what’s best for yourself by creating your own version of paradise, or happiness. I wrote this song with Mike Munoz and Gio Ferandez, two incredibly talented producers, songwriters, and musicians. It is a fun reggaeton beat with bolero and pop influences, with a salsa inspired bridge. During the initial stages of the pandemic, I was tired of being home (I think we all were!!) and I was constantly dreaming of being somewhere else. This song conveys that feeling of being in my own version of paradise. I say “I’ll be on an island, just vibin’ y solo pienso en mi. Estoy mejor sin ti,” meaning I’m only thinking about myself and I’m better off without you.

The music video for the single is so creative! Did you have a hand in designing your own animated character?
I happen to love cartoons and always wanted to see myself in animated form! I worked on the music video with Jose Alejandro Gonzalez, and we came up with the idea of using animation in the video. We collaborated with an extremely talented artist, Ariana Aguileira, based in the Dominican Republic, and I was absolutely thrilled with the job she did!!! She spent countless hours hand drawing every single animation for the video. We went back and forth multiple times until we were all happy with the final result and I have to say, I think it is so cool that we were able to add animation to that video.

What is the meaning behind the music video?
The meaning behind the music video is about finding your own happiness. We juxtaposed neutral scenes of me in my bedroom with bright, bold, animated tropical scenes of me dreaming of being in my own version of paradise. The video was simplistic, yet very complex to pull off, as we needed to film with green screens to get the final animation in the video. We really wanted to depict me dreaming of being on a tropical beachy oasis away from all of life’s problems!

In May 2020, you partnered with United Fund to raise funds through your single “Somebody Loves You” for the Miami Pandemic Response. Was this originally planned when you wrote the song?
When I wrote “Somebody Loves You,” I didn’t plan on releasing it during the pandemic, but the pandemic definitely expedited the process. I felt at that time that I wanted to make a difference in the lives of others and felt it was a time where the world needed a little more love. The video was directed by Andres Cifuentes and it was recorded in my house with my dad playing the piano. When I wrote the song, I was going through a rough time and I asked myself, “What is the one thing someone can do or say to me right now to make me feel better?” And I realized love was the answer. I think the pandemic was a very lonely and isolating time for many people and I wanted to remind people that no matter who you are, where you’re from, or what you’re going through, “Somebody Loves You.”

How much were you able to raise? How is Miami recovering from the pandemic?
Through the release of “Somebody Loves You,” I put on an IG Live concert from home and we were able to raise a considerable amount of money. I am so grateful to have been able to do that and make a difference in the lives of people who were really struggling and who really needed the help. If everyone stepped up and gave even just a little bit of their time or resources, the world would be an even better place and I try to give back whenever I can.

Jejune loves that you also donate your time by performing and fundraising for a variety of charities. Why is it important to you to give back?
It’s important to give back because there are so many people out there who need help, resources, guidance, and really do appreciate it when others are there for them. I personally feel extremely blessed to be in a position as a performer where I can give back to my community and different charities that I feel are doing a great job helping others and making a difference in this world.

What charities have you worked with in the past? Why are they important to you?
I have worked with many different charities in the past. One that comes to mind right away is the Special Olympics. I have sung for them in my community every year since I was 12 years old. It’s amazing to see the reaction of the athletes and it’s such a beautiful organization that provides wonderful opportunities that can transform people’s lives. I have also sung for many Relays for Life for the American Cancer Society, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Chapman Partnership, St. Jude, the Jackson Health Foundation, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Food for the Poor, and many others. I have also donated my time to sing at the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital to entertain the kids. It’s important to me because you can see how much it means to people. Entertainment is not only a way to escape troubles and life’s problems, and cheer people up, but is a very powerful way to bring people together. And I believe that connecting with others is essential to living a happy and fulfilling life.

Do you have plans to work with anymore in the future?
I always try to give back when I can and I definitely will be singing for more charities in the future!

How are you staying positive during the current wave of the pandemic? What does your new normal look like?
I think it was a lot harder at the beginning, not just for me, but for everyone, because we didn’t know a lot about COVID-19, but this pandemic has changed the world forever. For a while, I wasn’t performing and that was very difficult for me, especially because I live for performing. It is my whole life and all I’ve ever known. I’ve been performing since I was six years old. It definitely forced me to express myself in other ways. But, not only did I finish my EP during the pandemic, but I found a new love for poetry. And I am in the process of finishing my very first poetry book! I think life will always throw curveballs, but our attitude, mindset, and how quickly we adapt can make a huge difference.

Are you planning any tours in the future?
I will be planning many performances in the near future so make sure to follow me on social media to stay up to date on everything!

What is your motto in life?
As cliche as this sounds, my motto in life is to stay true to yourself. I think it’s really easy to get caught up in what others think is best for you and get sidetracked by the opinions of others, but I realize that life is too short not to do what makes you happy. A lot of people may not think of being in the arts as a steady job, and there are always people who will try to tell you what they think you should be doing, but ultimately, you have to be content with what you’re doing and who you are. First and foremost, always stay true to yourself. Secondly, I live by another motto, “Every ‘no’ is one step closer to a ‘yes.’” I have been told “no” by the same people multiple times before they ultimately told me “yes.” I believe that there will always be obstacles to overcome. Sometimes timing is everything. Nothing worthwhile in life is easy. But as long as you look at a ‘no’ not as a bad thing, but as one step closer to getting to where you want to be, you will ultimately be successful.

To keep up with Ariel Rose follow her social media platforms below:
Instagram: @iamarielrose
YouTube: iamarielrosemusic
TikTok: @iamarielrose
Facebook:IamArielRose
Twitter: @iamarielrose
Website: www.ArielRoseOfficial.com