DEBRAH ROSE

We recently caught up with the 21-year old South Londoner Debrah Rose, an up and coming Afro-Soul artist who appeared on a TV show (Vox Africa) for the first time and on the same day as her song release ‘Super Woman’. Here is what she had to say about her upcoming EP, Sonaman being jailed and bitchiness among female artists in the UK Afrobeats scene!

Anne Arts: Do you think there is enough unity in the [Afrobeats] industry amongst females?Debrah Rose: I think everyone’s just doing their own thing. I mean it’s hard as a female in the Afrobeats scene, so I understand that everyone’s just trying to do what they need to do to bring themselves up but at the end of the day, I feel like we do need to come together more as females because that’s the only way we’re really going to make an impact if we all join hands together and say “look this is us, we’re here, notice us as well!”Anne Arts: And what I noticed with the guys is that they are more united than we are…Debrah Rose: Yes they are – definitely! They do a lot more features together, you see them in pictures together, and they’re friends. With females it’s difficult because me personally, it’s like I prefer my male friends more sometimes because there’s not so much of the drama and all that stuff. And with females who may not have grown up together might be coming from different places and you know, we’ve all been through different things in life, some of us might not be as willing to be friends with other females we just met just because they’re also in the same industry as us you know? So it’s just one of those things you just have to close your eyes and do for the betterment of the female side of the Afrobeats industry.Anne Arts: Are there any females you have formed great friendships with?

Debrah Rose: I wouldn’t say great friendships but we’re cool... I mean I would say, someone like Ezi Emela, I’ve just recently spoken to her. Chidinma, when she was in the UK. I met up with her as well, she’s lovely. I think just them two right now. I mean I’m hoping to meet many more, Lola Rae, if I can get to meet Tiwa Savage, you know…Anne Arts: Are you friends with Sonaman?Debrah Rose: Yes.Anne Arts: What do you think about the situation of Sonaman being jailed?

Debrah Rose: I think it’s very very unfortunate, because he is very talented and I feel like he was almost in the prime of being an upcoming artist so I think the timing was so unfortunate but I hope that when he comes back on to the scene he still does his thing and people accept him because people do make mistakes. I think everyone should welcome him back with open arms to be honest.Anne Arts: How do you feel about the UK Afrobeats scene at the moment?Debrah Rose: I think its been a good year because you have a lot more of the upcoming UK Afrobeats artists being noticed, like you’ve got Moelogo, you’ve got Sona and there’s others as well that are actually making a name for themselves.

Purple Rust 3

FOR YOUDEBRAH ROSE featuring SKOUT NOW