'Ntjam Rosie' by Ntjam Rosie

There's a certain poignancy in the fact that Netherlands-based singer-songwriter Ntjam Rosie has opted to name her latest project after herself.  It calls to mind, not just a back-to-basics framework for an album, but perhaps a project that finds Rosie using the opportunity to go back to self.  

A consummate artist, Rosie has long taken deep and measured assessments regarding her own creative processes as a way of searching for ways to reinvent and recontextualise how she creates.  The release of her project 'Breaking Cycles' in 2017 proved very much a literal embodiment of those sensibilities as Rosie surrounded herself with a new creative (dream) team including producer Vincent Helbers, drummer Richard Spaven and bassist Rob Mullarkey.  Delivering a fantastic album as a result, the success of 'Breaking Cycles' proved a milestone release for Rosie giving justification to the idea of an artist constantly re-evaluating their approach and enthusiastically separating themselves from any patterns that may have inadvertently crept into their creative process.

There's an inspired David Bowie quote that states "If you feel safe in the area you're working in, you're not working in the right area; Always go a little further into the water than you feel you're capable of being in; And when you don't feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you're just about in the right place to do something exciting."  It's an incredibly motivational sentiment and one that Ntjam Rosie has adopted throughout her albums.

Initially born in Cameroon, Rosie's affections for her African heritage are as apparent in her music as they are for her current European home.  Creating music that graciously incorporates elements of soul, R&B, jazz and West African stylings, Rosie expertly crafts deeply personal, narrative-driven projects that tell the story of her own make-up and influences.  And while there is certainly a dualism at the heart of it all, they are never presented as opposing forces or the source of any conflict.  In fact, there is a warm-hearted harmony that Rosie exudes which is beautifully conveyed through a song like 'Mama' which positions her as the conduit between lessons, as bestowed by her own mother, subsequently being passed over to her daughter.

'Ntjam Rosie' presents an elegant portrayal of these perspectives through an eleven-track release that brilliantly balances styles, genres and cultures.  An intimate project that is rich in its authenticity, Rosie continues her run of self-assured releases that don't attempt to explore identity or even to define it - she simply finds herself standing far out in the water with her feet just touching the bottom.  Invariably, going on to do something exciting as a result.