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The Pleasure of Pomegranate
VIDEO PREMIERE: South America's pop newcomer Florian Rose debuts music video for song 'Pomegranate Boy'
​Header photo by Florian Rose​

Picture
Photo by Francisco Finat
'Pomegranate Boy', the impressive debut by South America's newest pop star Florian Rose finally has a visual partner as the music video for the song has now debuted. As a complete package, 'Pomegranate Boy' provides us with insight and more questions about this young musical talent. We're thrilled to not only present the video for you to watch, but also our interview with Florian so you can learn so much more about the artist we believe everyone will be talking about.

Hi Florian, thanks for chatting with us to get to know you as an artist more. With you being such a new artist it's a good time to start at the beginning. Tell us a little bit about you?
Thanks for having me! And thank you for opening your platform to me. I feel super happy to have this chance to let your audience know a little more about me.

I don’t really see myself as a musician or singer/songwriter, though those are the things I’m doing right now… the way that I see it, I’m more of an artist/storyteller and I use my music and imagery to share those things, it’s like my music is at the service of my artistry, of this world I’m trying to create.

How long have you been making music for and at what age were you when you decided music was the future for you?
I have always been related to music. To me it enhances quotidian time, it can make a boring bus ride feel like a movie, sometimes it has been a companion for very specific scenes in my life. Because of that I always had in my heart the dream of making my own music, but I never really felt like it was my thing to do. I come from a family where music has always been important. My siblings and I were schooled in a system that values self expression through art, and we all had music classes. I played flute and piano in elementary school, but there were always people better than me at music. I have a sister that studied music for years in university, she is a cellist, so I had this feeling that music is something that you have to practice and study very hard to be able to do. I didn’t want to be disrespectful and start calling myself a musician out of nowhere, so I kept that wish kinda hidden.

I started making music approximately 9 months ago. I wasn’t very happy working as a designer (I studied design in university), and given the current world situation, political tensions and well… the pandemic to top things off, I was really like “ok… I’m going to do the things I’ve always wanted to, cause the world could literally end tomorrow”. That’s when I set the goal of writing a song.

'Pomegranate Boy' is your debut single. How did the song come about? Did you write this on your own and what is the story you're telling in it?
It was the first song I wrote when I decided I was going to take music seriously. I had tried once before but I was very hard on myself and thought everything I did was terrible. This time I had been listening to a podcast called Start With This, and in one episode they said something like “if you want to create art you have to start doing it. It doesn’t matter if it’s bad, you’ll only get good after doing it a lot” and that idea liberated me. I stopped judging and being mean to myself for trying and I just started writing. I wrote Pomegranate Boy and then some other songs that weren’t really good, but Pomegranate flowed out very easily, it surprised me. I ended up liking the song so much that I decided it had to be the first thing for me to release, it’s the introduction to the world I’m trying to create, to me as an artist and to the topics I write about. It is about things I lived as a teen, and things I wish I had lived. A little bit of fantasy and a little bit of truth.

There are some interesting production details within the song. Particularly masking the sound to sound almost from an older time, including the cracking sound of a vinyl record playing, gives the song a very airy dream-like quality. Did you work with a producer on this or was everything done by you? And what influenced the sound of 'Pomegranate Boy'?
I worked alone, I wrote the lyrics and the melody came when I sat down with the guitar to figure out some chords. That was at the very early stages but it helped me to realise I could actually make something, like I had a song, all of a sudden.

Musically it was the song that started me on learning music production. I was inspired by Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream, I wanted to make something with that guitar plucking, sort of retro vibe, and I built up from there. Then I wanted it to be more indie, so I took My Little Alien by Kate Nash as a reference, that song gave me the idea to incorporate noise like wire sizzling and vinyl. I think that the song got its spirit from the fusion of those two inspiration sources. Then I learned to sample sounds around me and I added that high sound, the one that sounds like car breaks and it ended up being a texture that supports the whole thing. The whole process was very inspiring, and it helped me to feel more comfortable as an artist, and I realised that a lot of things come to me by intuition… I mean, I had music classes as a kid, but I hadn’t revisited those skills in a long time, it surprised me that somehow they stuck.

The style of dream pop that 'Pomegranate Boy' lives in, is this indicative of you as an artist? And what other styles are you looking to explore?
I like a lot when artists have that “era” approach, like one album is its thing and the next one is different, as if they’re working with a new color pallet. Right now I’m very inspired by vintage and retro aesthetics, I’ve been for a while and I wanted to do something like this for a long time, so in that sense, yes, it is how I do things… for now. At the same time as I’m new to making music there’s a lot to explore. I have a darker song that will be coming in the future, another one that’s more party oriented, but they all have this retro sadcore aesthetic that I want to own and make my own version of. I’m very melancholic and contemplative, so that will always be part of the things I make, both musically and visually.
Picture
Photo by Florian Rose
Who were the music artists that influenced you growing up?
Well I’m a 90’s baby, I grew up with the Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, S club 7 etc. Then during my teenage years I was all about Evanescence, My Chemical Romance, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. When Lana Del Rey came into the scene, bringing her vintage taste to the mainstream I fell in love with artists like Ricky Nelson, Bobby Vinton, Elvis Presley. They joined the Carpenters and Gilbert O'Sullivan, both of which I already knew because of my parents. Then Spotify became bigger, and I started discovering a lot of cool music that I hadn’t paid attention to before, like Alanis Morissette, The Killers, Washed Out, Kate Nash among others.

Who are the more current artists that you're listening to now?
Lana has been on my Spotify top one for many years in a row, but currently I’m obsessed with Halsey, I think her album Manic is amazing and I love the production. I’ve been listening to Lady Gaga’s Chromatica, Cigarettes After Sex, Mitsky, The Midnight, Cavetown and discovering Asian music, there’s this Japanese band called King Gnu that I like a lot.

Along with the new song there is now the music video? Talk us through how you approached the music video.
Well, my approach to things is very visual, so when I’m writing songs or making music I’m always thinking of colors and even scenes for music videos, even if I end up not doing that or not having the means to do those ideas. I’m a huge daydreamer, so sometimes I have this big kind of out there ideas that I won’t get to do because there’s no way I’ll have the budget for something like that.

I also love watching music videos so, to me a song just goes hand in hand with a visual rendering of its own. That’s why I wanted to make a music video for Pomegranate Boy, I mean… I’d love to make a video for every song that I’ll release. We’ll see how that goes.

What challenges were presented when creating the music video and what was the most enjoyable part of the process for you? 
Well, a very big challenge for sort of obvious reasons was working within quarantine limitations. I made the video all by myself because it wouldn’t have been made otherwise, so it’s an “Official Quarantine Video”. I shot everything in my mother’s house (which is where I’ve been during lockdown) trying to find spaces that I find beautiful or with nice lighting, things that could serve to tell a little bit of a story, and I used vintage clips and videos I’ve taken with my phone to make up for the lack of possibilities to go out. I’ve been collecting videos for a while, things I record with my phone when I’m in a car by the window in the highway, or walking around; videos of flowers or cloudy skies. I always thought I was going to use them for something and now it was the perfect time. It’s like everything I’ve been doing for the last 5 or 6 years has slowly led me to this project and this aesthetic.

The aspect that I enjoyed the most was creating footage specifically for the video and being in front of the camera. I love acting so this was like having a little bit of that experience. And the fact that I really got to mix everything I love to do, making music, telling a story, acting, editing, I even did a little bit of juggling with flags. It was a lot of fun to realize I could do something that looks good to me, with the bare minimum.

As a young developing artist, what are the parts of music that excite you most and also make you the most nervous?
Just putting things out there makes me both excited and nervous. I’m super excited for the possibilities that this might hopefully bring in the future, but I also struggle a lot with anxiety and depression, so the same thing terrifies me a lot. It’s like, I wanna be heard, I want everyone to listen to my song and future songs, and talk about them, give interviews, I fear being irrelevant, but at the same time the idea of it rocketing up makes me so nervous, being seen and criticized scares me, but I also feel like I can’t stop doing this because I love it very much and I’m having the fun I haven’t had in years, even when it’s painful at times.

What has been the biggest surprise for you so far regarding the release of 'Pomegranate Boy'?
The response from the people that have heard the song. Both those that I know and a lot of others that I got to meet recently through social media have been super nice to me. Even straight people… like, straight men have told me that they relate to the song, and that’s cool because it means that I got to tap into an experience that people have, regardless of sexual orientation and gender. I’ve received a lot of compliments regarding the production of the track and that to me is incredible. I had absolutely no experience in mixing and mastering, I had to learn a lot in a very short time, just watching tutorials on the internet nonstop, and it became something that people are surprised by. I know I have a lot to learn, but I’m glad the effort is noticeable.

When it comes to live performance, what has been your experience prior to the Covid-19 pandemic?
I have no experience performing live. I still don’t know if it’s something I like, and I might not even do it at all. I think nowadays there’s a lot of room for different artists and as I said at the beginning, I don’t really see myself as a musician, I don’t think I’m that good at it. My thing is telling stories, evoking how they feel and sound like, creating visuals and imagery, and acting, and writing… but I’d certainly love to try. I might even do a livestream when I have enough songs for a setup, I don’t know. I don’t know if my nerves would get in the way of my voice and make it crack. I was working with a voice coach prior to Covid, to gain more confidence with my voice, but that stopped after two sessions because of the quarantine. I learned very basic breathing techniques and that allowed me to release Pomegranate Boy. I really wanna see what I’ll get to do when I’m fully confident with my voice.
Picture
Photo by Florian Rose
Have you been listening to or following many other LGBT artists and if so who has caught your ear/attention?
Troye Sivan is always up on the list, because he was the first openly lgbtq artist that I could relate to. Before him I think, it was always either hidden, or under that trope of “oh artists are so crazy, everything goes for them” kinda thing… which is also a form of hiding. That aside, I’m listening to River Westin, I met him online a while ago and we became friends. I love his style, he’s great. And after I released my song and The Q Reviews featured it on playlists and on the webpage, I started meeting a lot of amazing and nice lgbtq artists, we’re popping into our DMs exchanging songs and things like that, I’m loving what the guys from FutureTape are doing, Zalatan is super kind and talented and her music is very 80s retro, I love that. I’ve also listened to Prismetical, Huro Saint from Sweden, SiJi Loux, Ramiro Brave, Brandyn Killz, Jack Rua, there are just too many!! Hahaha, I’m sorry guys if I left someone out, there are a ton of incredible artists I’ve met this month since releasing Pomegranate Boy.

Being from South America, what is the support system like for young artists starting out? And is there support for music artists from the LGBT community?
Well, you know, Chile, where I’m from, is a developing country, so getting funds for culture is very hard and there aren’t many, especially after the coronavirus outbreak. In order to secure some you either have to be already successful to some level, well connected or have a huge amount of work that sort of certifies that you are a serious artist. The industry is quite small, big record labels are few, most of them are indie and don’t have much money to push their artists as maybe american labels can. And we don’t have that many venues. The biggest festivals are the ones that come from other countries, like Lollapalooza so competition to be there is big.

In regards to the LGBT community I know that in the last years there’s been intentions of creating and supporting projects that involve gender and sexuality, but it’s still a country with deep roots in homophobia, racism and sexism, so it will always be harder if you are part of the lgbtq+ community, a woman, black or indigenous people.

Who would your dream music collaboration be with? Either writing or performing with.
I’d love to collaborate with Emile Haynie, he’s one of the producers that worked on Born to Die, Lana Del Rey’s first album, and has also worked with Rufus Wainwright. I love his sound and how he’s able to push songs to the next level. I’d also love to sing with Halsey because her voice is stunning, it mesmerizes me, and I love everything she’s been doing in activism for mental health, making visible and debunking the myths of bipolar disorder.

What’s next for your music? What does the rest of the year hopefully look like for you in terms of releases?
After the video for Pomegranate Boy is out, I’ll go back to work on my other songs and dust them off. I’ll release another single, something peaceful that I really think is what we all could use right now, and after that, a three song EP with a very specific storyline. I’d like to make a movie about that, I know that won’t happen cause I don’t have the budget for that, but I’ll find a way to tell the story behind the three songs as a companion piece. I have many ideas, I think it’ll be great!

What would your advice be to a younger Florian from 5 years ago in regards to music? 
That’s a very good question. I’d probably say “Oh hunny… quit college, do music!” Haha no, but really, I think I’d just tell myself to stop asking for permission for everything, to stop being so hard on me (I could say that to me now, to be fair) and that there’s no time as right as right now to do the things you want. We are lucky to be living in a time where all knowledge is reachable, there are tutorials on anything, both paid and free, so there’s no excuse. If you want to learn something just dive in. If you’re not doing it then it’s you who’s holding you back, and you need to stop self-sabotaging. Life is finite.

​P.S: Don’t download Grindr.
Picture
Photo by Francisco Finat
Now, with the professional side of things out of the way, let's have some fun!
Okay! This is my favourite part in every interview so don’t expect single word answers, I’m telling you the fun facts.

What three words best describe you?
Sensitive, empathetic, short-fused (we are going to pretend that one is a single word haha)

You can only have one dessert or sweet treat for the rest of your life. What would it be?
This is a hard one! I love everything with wild berries, and a favorite confection would be Crêpes au Citron (lemon crepes), butter and lemon are the weirdest match made in heaven. But something I absolutely LOVE is rose flavoured ice cream, that’s what I’m picking.

If you could go uninvent one thing, what would it be and why?
Capitalism… We’ve all seen what happens when greedy people run societies.

What are the five things you can’t live without?
Sunsets, my sense of smell, music, flowers, and Earl Grey tea.

What do you get up to when you're not making music?
Playing video games, working designing things for other people (hopefully that one will stop if I start making an income out of my art), drawing, and daydreaming.

Favorite holiday and holiday tradition?
I love holidays, I have a very festive spirit. Actually, I think we need more holidays, like pagans, they had so much fun celebrating seasons. My favorite one is Halloween, and a tradition that I have is always making my own costume. Another one was with my oldest niece, she’s 22 right now, so we’re more like siblings. She’d come to my house and ask me to do her makeup but only half her face. We created some creepy and cool looks and I used to take a photo of her every time. That didn’t happen last year and is probably not going to happen this one either, but it’s a tradition I cherish a lot.

Favorite TV binge?
The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell. I LOVE that girl! I’m so sad the show got cancelled by Netflix, but she started a patreon and I’m there supporting her. Whenever I’m sad I watch the curious creations with a glass of wine. I love Jessica Jones too, I rewatch that a lot.

Desert Island Discs: What are the 5 albums (or songs) you have to have with you if stranded on a deserted island?
Born to Die by Lana del Rey, because I think it’s the best album ever, it’s a genre in and of itself. The Fame Monster by Lady Gaga, because Bad Romance is on it, and Alejandro. Teenage Dream by Katy Perry because that’s all I listened to during high school. Electra Heart by Marina, the song Los Angeles by The Midnight.
​
Super power of choice?
Telekinesis… Actually if I could become the Scarlet Witch I’d take that.

What song is your personal soundtrack, that represents who you are as a person?
I’m far too complex and contradictory actually, I need more than one song hahaha… Maybe Bad Romance by Lady Gaga, but I’d be lacking the indie melancholic factor.

What’s one last thing you want readers to know about you?
I’m an amatheur barman. I love having or making drinks for friends and family. I like my Dry Martini filthy, I adore Cosmos, and I’ll never say no to a Michelada with Tabasco.

Follow FLORIAN ROSE​ on Social Media

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  • Home
  • ABOUT
    • ADVERTISING and PARTNERSHIPS
    • ARTIST PROFILES
    • QMMUNITY >
      • QMMUNITY FAQ
      • QMMUNITY PLANS
    • SUPPORTERS >
      • Patron Wall
  • WATCH
    • ADVANCE PLAY
  • LISTEN
    • PLAYLISTS
    • PODCAST
    • RADIO
    • Q 32 >
      • Q 32 Chart
    • ONE LOVE LIVE >
      • ONE LOVE LIVE SCHEDULE
      • ONE LOVE LIVE ARTISTS
  • SHOP
    • ARTIST MERCH
  • READ
    • ARTIST RELEASES >
      • Sashathem Hellraiser
      • trout baseline premiere
      • Brooklyn Doran Premiere
      • Jesse Maxwell Undone
      • Shawn Richard IDWGT
      • Kristen Ford Music Video Premiere
      • Cory Stewart and Jxckson
      • PRIMME SAD BOI
      • EXNATIONS TWIN FLAME
      • BENJI LEWIS STAY AROUND
      • Izzy Heltai Father
      • Reiss Meister Dizzy on the Dancefloor
      • KAYLA DIAMOND
      • MIKHAIL CAZI HEARTBREAK IN THE BREAKROOM
      • GREGORY DILLON SAD MAGIC
      • DIXON ARMS AROUND ME
      • Mickey Taylor Lostchild Jokes
      • LAM Dead Broke
      • Denim Blu
      • Honey Loris
      • Marcus Connolly Interview
      • Philip Brooks Review
      • Zach Benson Hopless Romantic
      • Bentley Robles Review
      • daena Bright Enough
      • GREGORY DILLON LOVELY
      • Ian Abel Review
      • Tender Creature Review
      • Joey Amato Pride Journey Nashville
      • Gwyn Love Vibrations
      • Cameron Hawthorn
      • ZacJr Dont Listen to Me
      • Florian Rose
      • Imperfectly Billy
    • INTRODUCING >
      • Get to Know A is for Arrows
      • Get to Know Bryce Bowyn
      • Get To Know Ilton
      • Get to Know J Scott
      • Get To Know Nicolas McCoppin
      • Get To Know Tom KIng
      • Get To Know ZacJr
    • MYMUSICSTORY
    • NEWS
    • RELEASE CALENDAR
  • LEARN
    • LISTENING PARTIES
  • CONTACT