MajorHiFi Music Monday: Rosehardt

Rosehardt is a sonic artisan that can’t be categorized. The singer and self-taught producer’s sound is fluid, flowing effortlessly from one genre into another marked by his melodic vocals and poignant lyrics. Meet Caleb Eberhardt better known by the moniker, Rosehardt.

MajorHiFi Music Monday: Rosehardt

The San Francisco native knew around the age of 13 that music was his calling. He was already making music when his brother, who managed him, took him to a recording studio and solidified the dream for him. “I was making real early 2000s sounding R&B. [My brother] got me some time at an incredibly nice recording studio in Seattle and being in that environment made me realize how much I loved it,” shares the Brooklyn resident. From there, he started visiting a small recording studio after school and was given an introduction to Reason production software and continued to produce on his own.

Rosehardt’s eccentrc style is exemplified in three pre-released tracks from his debut album “Songs in the Key of Solitude” – each song varying in style, tempo, and overall vibe. Influenced by everything and just about any genre, Rosehardt’s amalgam of tastes really shine on the alternative neo-soul ballad (if you can even call it that), “Fall Into You.” The track is a beautiful blend that you’ll find difficult to put a finger on, but easy to put an ear to.

Catch Rosehardt live in concert at his album release party at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn, New York April 6th at Baby’s All Right.

Rosehardt stopped to chat with MajorHiFi about his sound and new album dropping April 6th.

MajorHiFi: What headphones do you use when recording? Traveling?
Rosehardt: Same ones for both, haven’t been able to buy a casual pair just yet. I use Audio Technica ATH-M50x’s.

MH: When did you know you wanted to pursue music as a career?
Rosehardt: Probably around 13 years old my older brother began to manage me. I was making real early 2000s sounding R&B. He got me some time at an incredibly nice recording studio in Seattle and being in that environment made me realize how much I loved it.

MH: You’re a self-taught producer, that’s a huge feat, how did you begin producing?
Rosehardt: I started going to this small recording studio after school when I was in middle school, in the Fillmore district in San Francisco, and the instructors there taught on Reason. Over the years it’s what I stuck to and I just got better and better at it as I got older. I also just began learning more about music as time went on and refined my skills in arranging and all that stuff.

MH: You’ve got an interesting sound, how do you describe it and how did you come to define it?
Rosehardt: Haha. I actually don’t think I do have a defined sound. I’ve always just made music that I like at any given moment. So it could sound like anything really. One day I could make a banger and the next I’ll make a folk ballad. I think it’s easy to pin me with the soul-R&B crowd, but then you’d have to also pin me to the boom bap crowd. Soon, you could pin me to the electronic [crowd] and the next day to the alternative, the retro, it goes on. It really depends on my mood and state of mind. The short answer, I guess, is that I haven’t defined it.

MH: What inspires your sound?
Rosehardt: Anything I listen to that I like. Any genre.

MH: Are there any artists in particular that influence or inspire you now?
Rosehardt: Yes. Frank Ocean is a constant, but I’d challenge people to listen to the music and try and guess for themselves who they think my influences are. They’d probably guess correctly. Honestly, there are far too many to name. I’d feel weird naming one and not naming another, you know?

MH: Who is your favorite artist and why?
Rosehardt: Can’t even answer that. So many favorites.

MH: You’re releasing your debut album “Songs in the Key of Solitude” very soon, what was your creative process behind it? What are some of the themes? What do you hope resonates with listeners?
Rosehardt: The themes are loneliness, solitude, anger, faith (and the lack thereof), sex, love, defeat and perseverance, I’d say. I began each song without knowing what it’d be about, just going with what was in my body at the time. I’d just ended a long relationship, and it brought about a multitude of feelings, all of which I believe are accurately represented in these songs. I hope those feelings are what resonates. I want the music to represent who I am of course, but I also want the mood of these songs to take hold of people so that they are a part of a person’s sense memory. Like every good song is. I want someone to hear “Fall Into You” years from now and get the exact same feeling they had when they played it for the 10th time while they were baking French bread with their crush. Something like that.
 
MH: What is your career trajectory and what else is in the works for you?
Rosehardt: I think that career wise, more than anything, I’d like to always have an attainable abundance of inspiration, so that my output is constant. Don’t ask me how I’ll gain it, I just hope my path leads me past a bunch of golden glowing chests full of creative loot. (I just started playing Fortnite and that analogy rang true with me, forgive.) I mean, I’d also love to get as many ears on my music as possible. Success for me means time devoted, I think, and also the means to live off of my art. I’m gonna keep making music, try to gain some traction with my acting career as well, and be as good a person as I can be. I’ve also got shows in the works, hopefully a tour, some collaborations with artists I respect and love, all that. Like I said, golden chests of creative loot.

Rosehardt’s 10-track debut album “Songs in the Key of Solitude” drops April 6 and available for digital download here.