As if there is not enough genius, glam, pop coming from Sweden, welcome Rosanna. The now 22 year-old was signed to Columbia Records when she was just 13 and spent the majority of her teen years in the girl band Play touring with acts like Destiny’s Child. All grown up and with years of music classes and festival performances behind her, Rosanna describes her solo sound as “big emotional, chaotic, beautiful pop.” Rosanna’s first single, ‘Waterfall,’ is being released August 22nd on Popjustice Hi-Fi and was produced/co-written by Jim Eliot. Any artist who has Jim Eliot on their side, such as Ladyhawke or Sunday Girl, is bound to have true talent and create some pretty eclectic jams. The ‘Waterfall’ Deluxe CD comes with a Fear of Tigers remix and the bonus single ‘Runaway.’

Rosanna – Runaway (Rocket Boy Remix)

Rocket Boy is a relatively unknown Swedish duo and there is not very much information out there on them. However, what I do know is they can take Rosanna’s ‘Runaway’ and breathe a whole different life into it simply by swapping out the original two chord piano chorus for a layered, synth keyboard sound. ‘Runaway’ transforms from a dance, pop song to an electronic ballad.

I love layers, especially soft layers that you don’t even notice unless you are listening for them; those are the songs that get me. Rocket Boy builds ‘Runaway’ to mirror the lyrics. Starting with the bassline and adding the kick drum, this mix always seems to have at least three layers. The last minute of chimes, just when the original would be ending, take you into the future, you can’t stop running and you have no clue what you are running away from or what you are running to.

“Runaway, don’t wanna get caught, don’t wanna stay, don’t wanna miss you so…”

“Runaway, get the best of me, don’t wanna stay, I wanna get it right,
gotta plan, you know what I’m about, try to go back to where we started out…”

All I think about when I listen to this song is disappearing. Running away and saying “I don’t care,” except really meaning it. It is almost impossible to just pick up and leave everything and everyone you know and never look back. I always wonder why people want to run away from their past…as if just being removed from it could help you forget. You can always move forward and move on, but your past has made you the person you are today and there is no running away from that.

Posted by: Kim