Meet Bethany Rose: Singer and Fine Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bethany Rose and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bethany, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
It’s funny, but since I was a child I knew that I wanted to sing, and not just “sing” but make it a career. Coming from a small town in Iowa, I wasn’t sure how that was going to happen, but the desire was in my heart so strongly, I felt called to it. In addition, I always loved to draw and create art since I can remember. At the end of the day, I have balanced working a number of jobs (where I wasn’t able to be so creative), while figuring out how to get my own businesses going. It has not been easy, but I am not the kind of person that can sit around and let the calling in my heart, die. I am a creative person through and through and it brings me so much joy to do what I love.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have always been drawn to music and fine art/textiles. What sets me apart from others is that I work in both industries, and I don’t limit myself. I am both a singer/songwriter with my own music business as well as run my own fine art business. I am proud of myself for pursuing these endeavors whole heartedly and doing what it takes to make it happen, and not give up. It has definitely not been easy to get where I am at today, and I still feel like I have huge goals to accomplish. The challenges have been numerous, I don’t have enough space to name them all. I made the decision to move from Houston, TX to Los Angeles, CA in 2008 so I could be in the heart of the music industry, since I was going back and forth from Houston, frequently. That in of itself was a tough transition, and it required me starting over in many ways in both creative fields. LA is an expensive place to live, in a huge sea of people. At times, I was balancing two full time jobs, one at night and one during the day, just to make contacts, pay my bills, and keep my dreams alive. I sacrificed so much to be in LA, and sleep was one of those things! After so many years of pounding the pavement in the music industry, I released my first single, “Love of My Life, in April 2020 off of my upcoming debut album. The single is a duet with artist, B. Slade. The album was set to be released shortly thereafter, but the release was halted due to Covid. A very important lesson I have learned being a creative is, learn to pivot quickly, so many things are out of our control. I also learned to set myself up with multiple streams of income. The halt in the release of the album allowed me to focus on my fine art for a while, so that is what I have been doing. Don’t get me wrong, I cannot wait to finish the album and release it! I am business minded, and that is so important as a creative. We can create until we are blue in the face, but we have to have the business acumen to make a living with our talent, and that sometimes requires juggling various things. A very important lesson my family taught me about from a young age is the value of hard work and not giving up. I am not afraid to work hard and do things the right way. One of the most important things I have learned on my journey is to have purpose behind everything I do, know what my brand is and how it’s intertwined with my purpose. My brand is love. I love people, and I want to spread love through everything I do and create. Ultimately, I want to encourage people to believe in themselves and know that anything is possible to those that are willing to put in the work.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Haha, there isn’t enough time in the day! If my best friend was visiting, I would definitely have to show her around. A few things we would do are: Go salsa dancing on the 3rd street promenade, go for a hike at Runyan Canyon, go to a few of my favorite restaurants…I love good food!! For example: We would have to go grab some Korean BBQ in Korea Town, go to Cha Cha Chicken in Santa Monica before we walk down to the beach. I would take a cruise out to Malibu, and stop and get a fish sandwich along the way. I always like making a quick stop to the Farmer’s Market at the Grove, they have some really good food spots and it’s just a fun place to walk around! We would have to make a trip to the Fashion District downtown LA, and check out some spots at night like the Sofitel for R&B Jazz night and Salsa nights! The list goes on and on. We have a great city, so rich in culture and incredible weather! Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people have been significant in my journey and creative pursuits. I am beyond grateful for my family, who have always been supportive of my artistic endeavors. At the age of 6 years old, my parents started in me in piano lessons, followed by saxophone lessons, all while entering me into coloring contests. I guess you could say that they saw my creative interest early on and allowed me to explore it! There is a particular individual who believed in my fine art career when I first started in 2004, and his name is Navid Ghedami. He is an incredible artist himself and he owned an art gallery in Houston, TX. His gallery was the first gallery I showed my work in. He believed in me, and encouraged me to make it a career. Its amazing how other’s encouragement can be so pivotal in the choices we make in life. He still encourages me this day. A significant part of my journey are my closest friends and who are like family to me. They have been with me through the ups and downs of me pursuing my dreams in art and music. It truly takes a team, and I have been surrounded by incredible people who support me as I walk in my purpose.

Website: www.brobertart.com

Instagram: @brobertart

Facebook: www.facebook.com/brobertart

Other: www.bethanyrosemusic.com
IG: @iambethanyrose
FB: www.facebook.com/iambethanyrose
Youtube: www.youtube.com/bethanyrosemusic