Womanly Interview: Olivia Rose of Oh, Rose
Words - Attia Taylor
While My Father Sleeps is a brand new album by the Olympia, Washington based band Oh, Rose. Womanly spoke to front-woman Olivia Rose about the ten song record that shares her own truths through an homage to her mother, who passed away in January of 2017. Rose shares about a book that her mother wrote throughout her life and never got to finish.
“‘While My Father Sleeps’ is the title of the book my mother wrote throughout her life,” Rose says. “It involved her relationship with my grandfather, the way she could communicate with him through the poetry of Carl Sandburg and the writings of Truman Capote. Her storytelling always inspired me to tell my own through music.”
What’s your favorite self care practice?
Talk therapy, once a week, even when I’m on the road. It can be difficult, especially when it comes to time zones and long driving days, but the consistency has provided me with structure and I make it work.
How does making music impact your health?
Spending hours in a van, over 16 plus the 6 you were sleeping in it, can take its toll. A lot of the time touring is glorified and seems inaccessible. It is and it isn’t. I enjoy being on the road because I love performing and playing live. I am lucky to share this with people who I care for and who care for me. But it is tough. There are times when I forget to stretch physically and mentally, when I drink more than I should because I am feeling anxious. In this age where things are so consistently shared I am still very much figuring it out.
Who has taught you the most in life so far?
My grandmother. It’s hard for me to explain the influence she had on my life. She taught me what consistent and stable love feels like. She taught me how to stew okra, the value of living quietly and participating in your community. She believed in me.
What are your healthy living goals?
I would like to quit smoking. I am not a social smoker, it has been a habit since I was 14. I have a lot of shame around being a singer and a smoker. I want to quit. It’s hard.
