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Dear lovely friends around the world,

this year has been a very emotional year for all of us! The changes in the world are frightening and I can feel the pain of so many, those close to me and those I am not personally connected to around the world. In spirit we are all connected! And if people are suffering it effects us all!

I was participating in the elections of presidents for Austria and the USA this year. I became a prouder Austrian and a less proud American 🙁 I pray as this year comes to a close that 2017 will bring the world closer together, and that WE PEOPLE will have the courage to stand up for what is right for humanity and the world.

Personally I am looking back to a year of major positive changes. Most importantly I started working with the mazing Steve Greenwell, which is the best thing that has happened to me as an artist so far! I wanted to work with a producer, who I trusted my songs with and felt confident could create something unique with me, for many many years. As they say: when the student is ready the teacher shows up. It took all these years to grow into the artist I became to attract a producer with his experience (his records sold over 15 million times), who could see for me what I dared to dream. We started working in June and he pushed me for 6 months until he thought I was ready to record with him in the studio! I have to remind myself he is used to working with such amazing artists like Joss Stone, Diane Birch and Andy Grammer, and he expects for me to step my game up to get closer to my full potential. His name is on the line, and he will not release anything less than internationally competitive and relevant. It is a huge honor and responsibility that I get to work with him! THANK YOU to everyone who made this possible by pre-ordering the EP and other offers in my online store HERE! I will raise $9,000 more to cover all costs related to my EP, healing the world one song at a time 🙂 Please support in any way you can!

The last two weeks we finally recorded my vocals, piano and strings for FREEDOM, my first song he produced! Being in the studio is like heaven on earth for me! This was the first time I had a producer pushing me to my best possible performance! I had that one chance and day (an 11h session) to get my piano part and my vocals right for FREEDOM! I was so incredibly exhausted at the end. I could only finish with my sheer willpower. 

What I love the most about Steve is that he keeps pushing me to keep growing! It can be tough and it is very humbling, but ultimately I can’t wish for anything better: someone who cares and sees way beyond of what I can see for myself and won’t ever be satisfied until he feels I am stepping into my full potential! This is just the beginning!

As I am getting ready to roll out my new sound and brand – which I can’t wait to do – Steve also recommended to change from Roswitha (my first name) to Rose Bartu (my first and last names shortened). After a few days of thinking about it I am super excited to start with a clean slate! Rose Bartu was the name I used when I first moved to NYC, it represented a new start and many new possibilities! I ended up changing my name with each new musical direction. It would have never occurred to me to go back to Rose Bartu, but now it feels like I am coming full circle! I am starting to step into my unique path and sound as an artist and returning to the name that represented all my dreams as I am stepping into fulfilling them!

2017 will be a new beginning for me, a fresh start! I can’t wait to share my first single FREEDOM with you, my appeal for forgiveness and peace, and my anthem for freedom, justice and human rights for all!

Thank you for joining me on this exciting journey! My desire is that I will be able to reach, empower and inspire all of you and a lot more people around the world! I know the song is more current than I would want it to be.

The world needs hope and love! And that’s what I am wishing and sending you for the New Year! May it be the best year of your life, as I expect it to become the best year of my life 🙂

love love love from your Rose Bartu 🙂 

Dear lovely friends around the world,

this is an open letter in which I am processing; please forgive my bluntness and directness. It has been less than a week since the US presidential election results and I am still trying to understand what happened. People are hurt, scared, mourning and some re-living their traumata, because many Trump followers think being hateful, racist, sexist is OK and cool now… I read about too many stories, and my heart is bleeding of sadness and anger.

At first I felt my only weapon was to spread love and focus on my music. Then I realized that is not enough! Love is an action word, and there is much more that needs to be done! Donald Trump can be stopped, through the electoral system as intended by our constitution. By popular vote Hillary received 200,000+ more votes. Over 4,350,000 people have signed this petition already! NOW is the time to mobilize and get into action!

My best (and black) girlfriend asked me this question, which at first baffled me: „How do you take responsibility as a white person for this result.“

Me? I grew up very anti-American all my life, listening to world news every morning and hearing what the US did around the world, often feeling disgusted. I came to NYC because I fell in love with the city to my absolute surprise. I made friends with liberals, foreigners, immigrants, blacks, Christians, Jews, Muslims, people from the LGBT community… What I first developed as a high school student in Austria through reading and studying MLK and black American history (I chose to specialize in it for my high school graduation) – a deep compassion for black Americans – deepened when I arrived here. I played in a black gospel church for years, have been teaching over 100 black children the violin so far, have recorded a song and filmed a video called „Building Bridges“, which the Mayor of Selma/Alabama used for his re-election. I wrote a song after Trayvon Martin got killed and have been speaking up against guns. These are some examples how I use my music as an activist.

Tuesday before the results came in my amazing new producer Steve Greenwell chose my song Freedom as my next first single (of my new sound and EP, you can support and pre-order it HERE!). I started to write it on 7/4/15, and what was first a very critical American political song turned into a world anthem for freedom, justice and human rights for ALL!

I take responsibility for not engaging in conversations with Republicans about their views, and by disconnecting myself when I realize our principals and values are so different: I realized that I am not friends with any white person who voted Trump, possibly one person I haven’t talked to in months. That may be the problem. I have never even bothered to seek out or become friends with any. I used to have a Swiss/American friend I was close to. And our friendship was definitely hurt by our very opposite opinions; she turned into a Republican after she got married to one during the time when Bush went to war in Iraq. I was all against it, knowing it was based on lies. I avoid political discussions. I have only been expressing my views in my blog, newsletters, Social Media and when I am on stage. I get way too emotional.

I also take responsibility to withdraw from the whole political dilemma, it made me sick to my stomach hearing Trump (I got a similar feeling in my stomach like I got when I visited for the 1. and last time a concentration camp), I couldn’t even watch the discussions on TV. And therefore had few conversations with people who might not have gone to the polls or were indecisive. And when the opportunity was offered to me to travel to PA to talk to people or call people up in swing states I declined. I truthfully was conflicted about casting my vote for Hillary. I read too many European articles of specialists pointing out how war-driven her agenda is and how that will in-stabilize international peace even more. After giving my vote to Bernie in the primaries I did cast my vote for Hillary last Tuesday with a bit of a stomach ache, but it seemed the lesser evil.

Never ever did I believe this could happen, I chose to be blind like so many others. In the meantime I have done more US and international reading: I truly believe this is a global problem. The right wing populists around the world are gaining success. It enforces different issues in each country, like racism, misogyny, sexism… in the USA. 20+ years of neoliberal capitalism (invented by the Austrian economist and philosopher Friedrich Hayek) creates more and more losers in the middle class, rich get richer, poor get poorer… Populists play into the fear of people, without offering real solutions. They take advantage of real life issues and nurture hatred in (often little educated) people against „enemies“ (blacks, Mexican, Muslims, immigrants, gays… in the case of D.T., foreigners, refugees and Muslims in Europe) and showing scary fascist ideas. Whereas the democratic elites are bought by corporations – in the US even officially and legally -, which are the winners of this economic system. People, who research on this, believe the only solution could be an eco-social market economy, but as long as corporations and money has the say that won’t happen. Al Gore and Bernie Sanders had offered some solutions for those problems.

D.T. was mostly elected by people from the country. They benefitted the least from the progress that has also happened in the USA. Their industries they lived off have become irrelevant, and they are in survival mode feeling left out and angry. And they blame it on the government and establishment. This article made a lot of sense for me and helped me to gain more compassion.

In my opinion we have to do everything to express our disapproval of someone being president-elect who spoke so much against the constitution! All of our minorities – black, Muslim, gay, Mexican & immigrant citizens – are in total fear (I am a privileged white immigrant) and are being attacked in thousands in the name of the new president-elect! Not to mention: sexual abuse just got „legalized“ too and people are reliving their traumata…

Hitler, also an Austrian, used democratic legalizations and the support of corporations and other powerful groups. From day one Trump sounded like Hitler to me, I had an aversion to his rhetoric and his lies. Hitler also discriminated and instilled fear, people shut up.

What hurts me most right now is that I see so many intelligent and educated Clinton voters, who just like back in the 1930s, shut up and decided to wait and see and give D.T. the benefit of a doubt. I see people being fearful of a civil war and not taking actions.

My dad was a war refugee of WW2. I grew up being critical to our government and politicians all my life, to take actions, stand up for our values, demonstrate, go on the street, collect signatures for law changes…

So here is my plea to the USA and the rest of the world: Let’s use all of our democratic rights! We can’t be fearful or support a president, who has spread hate, lies and is a dangerous man, not just for the USA, but for the rest of the world. Please, let’s not underestimate him again, we all did up till now. Now is NOT the time to wait some more! I am not talking about violence, I am talking about peaceful protests, taking a stand like MLK and Ghandi did before us. If we don’t we approve and support what he spread and what is happening, and I don’t approve! Thanks for joining the BUILDING BRIDGES movement!

love love love from your Roswitha

I started to write my 40+ new songs in September of 2014. During that time I was homeless in NYC for 53 days (I was asked to leave after many years in my Brooklyn apartment) and moved 8 times from couch to couch while all my belongings were stored in storage. I am grateful for my amazing friends (NY apartments are small)! It was a very humbling and creatively productive time. I had my Blue Note show (watch some live footage here 😉 during that time, after which I decided I wanted to become a songwriter for other artists. And the songwriting began again…

Little did I expect that along the way more and more people in the industry told me I needed to put some of these songs out myself, because I have such an unique voice and style…

My vocal coach and music business mentor pushed me to dig deeper to create signature songs, in which I share some of my deepest feelings, my shame, guilt, fears, insecurities… Those writing sessions can be excruciating and hard work. I shed a lot of tears as I touched on some subjects that I would rather just ignore. It helps when you have a co-writer and not doing this on your own! But they brought so much healing! I realized I have to look at and move through those difficult subjects to move beyond and grow as a human being. And as I go through that process I will give others permission to get in touch with their feelings and hopefully bring some relieve or healing through my songs to them.

That is why I am an artist and songwriter, to be able to share my experiences and touch people’s lives, transform them through my music. It is not about me, I am just the the person through which you can find yourself. I am grateful for each of you joining me on this journey healing the world one song at a time (watch my video here ;-)!

My next step is to go into the studio with an amazing producer to develop the songs so I can share them with you! I produced my Destiny album myself. Now I want to put more minds together, cause I know the result can be so much better! I notice that in my co-writing sessions!

I am preparing a crowd fundraiser and I will need your support contributing and sharing it with others! I can’t wait to tell you about all the different opportunities I am creating for you to join me on my journey and be part of my new project, which to me means releasing the most vulnerable songs I have written in my life.

Love and live your Destiny

Always your Roswitha

photography: Jacquelyn Ackeifi, styling: JoRae

I woke up this morning on too little sleep and what got my attention were the terrorist attacks in Brussels. My first reaction was sadness, fear and anger. Then I felt urgency to react with LOVE!

This urgency comes on a new profound inner peace I found last week. I felt for the first time in my life that if I would die now I have lived my life to the fullest and have given the best I could. I felt that everything that I get to create, contribute and share moving forward is icing on the cake. I plan to live another 50+ years if God allows it, and will do the best to create the biggest possible positive impact I can have.

After the sad news of Brussels I felt the time is NOW to get my songs out into the world, no day is guaranteed. I have written around 40 new songs since my Destiny album, many of them really close to my heart sharing my deepest feelings. I believe some have the potential to transform many lives, just like I have been transformed digging deep while writing them, which can sometimes become a painful process… Since I started co-writing the songs have been getting better and better and I can’t wait to share them!

This time around I want to hire an amazing producer, so that I get to deliver my messages in a way that they can be widely received. I want you to know that I will start a new crowd fundraiser and will implement other fundraising ideas soon to be able to finance producing my songs. Please let me know if you have any ideas for me. I would love to hear from many of you! I want these new songs to impact many lives.

I am sending lots of love and peace out into the world! Let’s keep our hope strong, cause love always wins in the end!

Love and live your Destiny

Always your Roswitha

photography: Jacquelyn Ackeifi, styling: JoRae

It was many years ago that I learned that most successful people have coaches, not just musicians and athletes. Now in those areas I want to grow I seek out a coach. Often that can be painful, you have to let go of the known and step into the unknown, often a very uncomfortable feeling.

In November I put myself in an 8-month Mastermind with 21 other artists lead by my vocal coach and music business mentor Cari Cole. I thought I was ready to go into the studio recording my new album with a producer. I wrote over 35 songs since fall 2014 and refined many of them over the summer. And I love them! My coach was pushing me further, telling me I needed to dig deeper in my writing. Deeper? How much deeper can you go? Of course I didn’t want to hear that… but I believe in coaches, their whole purpose is to tell us what we don’t want to hear 😉

Somehow the pieces of the puzzle all as a sudden came together for me: I realized it is my purpose as an artist to birth songs that will transform lives. But first I have to go through that transformation myself so I can share my epiphanies with the world in my songs. Most recently I have written several songs that had me in tears while writing them. Digging deep can be exhausting, cause we often don’t want to go to the places that hurt. It is my prayer and wish that I will be able to produce some of them with an amazing producer, so I can share them first with you and then with the world!

Have you discovered your purpose and shared it with others? Do you have someone in your life, who tells you what you don’t want to hear with love so you can grow to your full potential? 

To go deeper and become more vulnerable with the world I decided to share the process and my stories and epiphanies with you, which are at the foundation of my songs.

In case you haven’t listened to these songs yet, then It’s Time for you to listen to my Destiny sampler and get all 13 songs for free! Click Here and Now  

A few thoughts on some of my song titles of my Destiny album. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts too!

1. It’s Time: I am partially super shy – people never believe me when they meet me in person I started to withdraw at age 3 (remember my last blog?) and followed my mum around all day. Even though I moved out at 14 and became independent at an early age, it took a lot of work to get out of my shell (and over my own decisions I had made as a kid). I started to pursue my dream of singing not until I had finished my music studies… What are you afraid to pursue? It’s Time to live your life un-apologetically!

2. Purpose: I was the good girl, wanted to please everyone and avoided conflict. That is impossible if you pursue your purpose. Now I am working on my Building Bridges vision to foster peace. Are you concerned of what others might think of you and avoiding pursuing your Purpose?

3. Change: I am insecure and afraid to be judged, but we will always get judged, so what! It is time to stand my own ground and share myself with the world. I have overcome a lot and have a lot to share! I have nothing to hide, and no one to protect myself of. Change is gonna come, and it starts with me! How do you want to create Change in your life?

4. My Life: All my life I was seeking my parents’ approval. I found out I am not the only one That just shows me that I truly care and honor them! I know they love me, and all they want for me is to be happy. Living my dreams is what makes me truly happy! Whose approval are you seeking? Are you afraid to live your own Life?

5. Destiny: I am super sensitive. People think being vulnerable is being weak. I believe it is the contrary. It is showing strength! I have to find a healthy balance of being compassionate and not letting things get too close to me. In my song One of Us I processed Trayvon Martin’s killing, it is my anti-gun song. Are you living your Destiny?

6. Here and Now: My homeopath once said to me: you didn’t choose an easy route in your life, you chose to climb Mount Everest (by moving alone over the Atlantic ocean to NYC and living here as an artist). I followed what my heart told me to do, despite the obstacles I had to overcome. Are you following your heart and living your life Here & Now?

It’s Time for you to listen to my Destiny sampler and get all 13 songs for free! Click Here and Now Or come to my next live show in NYC

Love & live your Destiny

Roswitha

At 3 years old my 3 older siblings started to tease me after an incident “But you are nice, aren’t you?” I was the good girl and some of my siblings hated that (especially the two I was in-between). I decided going to my mum for support has negative repercussions, so I never would go for any support to her again. I made up I was on my own and couldn’t trust anyone. I was hiding out in my room and secretly crying when I was hurt. Noone knew, cause with six children my parents were more than busy. I turned into a serious girl and lost some of my fun, carefree and playful self.

What decisions did you make as a child that you are ready to let go of to expand your life and pursue your Destiny and dreams? I would love to hear from you!

That decision pretty much ran most of my life. I created a very independent life, literally. I moved out age 14 to study at the Music Academy in Graz/Austria while attending a specialized high school for music students. Later I moved across the Atlantic ocean to NYC on my own, where I became an independent artist, no coincidences Our decisions run our life until we discover them and take new actions. My life in NYC has been about getting out of my comfort zone and expanding beyond what I thought was possible for this shy girl…

Guess what, I am forever done being independent! This year is all about creating teams in my life and empowering and inspiring leaders around me! Not a new creation for me, but I am taking different actions. I found out I function so much better in community! I LOVE people and without extending myself to support others and letting others contribute to me by holding me accountable to my bigger self I revert back to the “good girl”, who was afraid to speak up for herself, kept her dreams (like singing) secretly close to her heart, kept withdrawing and hiding behind her violin.

I am starting a 90-day Leadership Training this weekend to put myself in a supportive team, a 6-month Songwriting Circle with 47 other artists and I am currently also in an 8-month Artist Success Circle (both circles lead by celebrity vocal coach + new music business mentor Cari Cole). I can’t wait to share with you what I am creating I did a photo shoot and a soft rebrand of my website queenrosemusic.com, but there is lots more to come! Stay tuned!

What are you taking on this year to expand your own boundaries? I would love to hear from you!

Love and live your Destiny

Roswitha

photography: Jacquelyn Ackeifi, styling: JoRae

I came across this wonderful version of “You Oughta Know” On The Howard Stern Show by Alanis Morrisette when I found out about Johnny Fratto’s death in November. I was shocked. I listened for the first time in memory of Johnny, who was a regular guest on the show and through whom I heard of the show.

I met Johnny in L.A. two years ago after which we talked on the phone. Johnny listened to my DESTINY CD and wrote me “I have your CD in my car and it is wonderful!!!” He wanted to help me with my career. He had tons of ideas, even wanted to get me onto the Howard Stern Show Thanks Johnny for shining a light for me! Sometimes we just need someone to believe in us to keep us going!

I also listened to parts of Alanis Morrisette’s interview after her performance and it made me wonder: am I interested in the wrong men?

Alanis is a very smart & reflective person, clearly she did a lot of work on herself, if she talks of “love addiction withdrawal” being the worst. I have gone through that one… She pointed out an alpha man with an alpha woman is high energy and hot, but not sustainable. Yep, I have experienced that… She said an alpha power woman works best with an empowered beta supportive man. She said “my husband loves my fame, I believe he is born to support the powerful feminine!” So beautiful that she gets his support! This got me thinking: Maybe I am interested in the wrong men…

What are your desires? What are you searching for? Your own truth within yourself, for a partner in life, how to keep the joy, spark, desires and love going within a relationship when work and routines take over? I wrote several songs on my DESTINY album sharing my search and desires. I want you to have my empowering songs for your rainy days You can go and listen to a sampler of the album and get it for free here http://www.queenrosemusic.com/free-giveaway/

Love & live your Destiny

Roswitha

photography: Jacquelyn Ackeifi, styling: JoRae