Rose has been described by former
Boston Globe music critic Steve Morse as "that rare artist who can bridge diverse styles such as soul, funk, rock, rap and jazz – and bring her unique stamp to each." She has been labeled the "artist most likely to make an impact on the national stage" by the Boston Globe. In addition to her independent releases, Rose is a featured songwriter and performer on two
Grammy award-winning jazz albums,
The Mosaic Project (2011) and
Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue (2012), both produced by drummer
Terri Lyne Carrington and featuring a cast of musicians including
Esperanza Spalding,
Patrice Rushen, and
Herbie Hancock. Rose received a
SESAC National Performance Activity Award for her collaboration on "The Mosaic Project". Rose has shared the stage with
Gladys Knight,
Macy Gray,
Nneka,
Alice Smith, and
Talib Kweli, and she has performed internationally in
Bucharest, Romania,
Athens, Greece,
Naples, Italy, St. Michaels,
Barbados,
Santiago/
Havana, Cuba and
Kingston, Jamaica. Rose graduated from
Berklee College of Music in 2011 and has received numerous awards and honors since, including multiple
Boston Music Awards and a scholarship from the
Songwriters Hall of Fame for "excellence in songwriting." Rose recorded and produced the album independently with funding from a Kickstarter before being offered a contract by
Virgin Records, and before turning it down. The album, which was released one track at a time with accompanying artwork and behind-the-scenes interviews, follows Rose's personal and creative evolution during this journey. The songs describe a struggle with the conformity that often accompanies mainstream success and a desire for freedom and self-expression. She's Got Her Ticket describes Rose's transition "from the tough star with her eyes on success, to a stripped-down confident woman who has found herself."
"Black Boys On Mopeds" – 2016 In the summer of 2016, Rose released a cover of
Sinéad O’Connor's "
Black Boys on Mopeds," available on
iTunes,
Spotify, and
Bandcamp. Though the lyrics reference England in the 1990s, Rose felt that the song served as a universal statement on the social and political climate of the world in 2016. The song came to mind after the shooting and unrest in
Ferguson. As more and more stories of police brutality came out, Rose was hesitant to release her recording, fearing it could be taken the wrong way. As the song goes, "To say what you feel is to dig your own grave." But following the shootings of
Alton Sterling and
Philando Castile, and with a Presidential election coming that year, Rose chose to use her platform to spark a conversation about the disquieting conditions across the world. Together with producer Simone Scazzocchio, Rose presented this song not as a musical performance, but as a conversation with the community. This conversation took place through social media on both Facebook Live and a Twitter live chat, as well as in person at community meetings and listening parties. but a moniker that Shea Rose embodies physically and artistically. Rose expresses the "Little Warrior" on stage, through her music and fashion sense, and in her daily life with her music for social change initiatives and outreach. She describes a "Little Warrior" as:Little Warrior: (noun) An Empowered, Independent, Tenacious, and Resilient Woman; A Citizen of the World, Zealous in nature, who uses Amity and Strength as her weapons of choice when presented with any battle.Rose believes we all have the power to face our battles with faith, strength and courage, embracing our inner warrior. In the summer of 2015, Rose launched her "Warrior Wednesday" campaign, where she interviewed several "Warrior Women" in the
Boston area to share their words of wisdom to other young women. Featured guests included Boston City Councilor
Ayanna Pressley and Editor and Chief of Boston Common Magazine Lisa Pierpont. One video was shared every Wednesday on Rose's YouTube and social media pages.
''Rock 'n Rose'' – 2010 Rock ‘n Rose, Shea Rose's first EP (2010), was an introduction to her genre-blending style. At that time, Rose was known for her soulful rap-meets-rock sound, a big Afro, and killer heels. Her image was a fearless rapper with a rock-edge, but that was only one side of her. Rose's image has evolved greatly since this EP, as revealed through her more recent releases. == Community Outreach ==