Jacob Rose’s voice and dynamic folk tunes often fill the air of downtown Saint Andrews. He’s known locally for songs like “Wharfbound” – written about a Saint Andrews Brewing Company beer – a song he said is one he must play when in town.
He came to Charlotte County 10 years ago, and has since released an album, got married, and had a kid.
Most recently, Rose was awarded an ArtsNB Creation Grant that will allow him to focus on writing a new album, which he plans to release in the early new year.
Rose has released two singles that will be included in that upcoming album: “We Keep Trying (To Make Something New)” and “Hold Your Head Up.”
He said “We Keep Trying” is his favourite song in his entourage.
Jack Johnson, Amos Lee and The Barenaked Ladies are some of his main inspirations, along with his late grandmother.
“I wouldn’t be working on this album right now if it wasn’t for my gran,” Rose said.
It was just 10 days before Rose’s wedding when she passed away. He didn’t have a lot of time to process anything then, so he wrote a song about her.
“It just felt so cathartic,” he said.
That song was then submitted to a songwriting workshop after Jamie Steel, a local who is in charge of Periwinkle Productions and is the co-founder of Paddlefest, told him he should submit a song.
After that, Rose started working with Steel and other artists like Chris Kirby and Claira Blanchard, who he met at a songwriting camp at Salty Towers.
Four or five of the songs he produced at that camp will be on Rose’s next album.
“I owe it all to my gran and what she meant to me,” Rose said. “She always believed in me. She always loved it when I brought my guitar to her house and played for her.”
Rose said he’s inspired by stories about people overcoming obstacles in life, and he hopes those people can find new perspectives to their situation through his writing.
“Art doesn’t tell you what to think; it helps you feel something,” Rose said.
Kirby will produce Rose’s album and play the keys throughout. The album will also feature Joshua Van Tassel – who recently won a Juno Award – and Logan Richard – a guitarist from Prince Edward Island.
The difference between his recorded performance and live shows is that in the latter he doesn’t usually play with a band.
“If you’re gonna see me live … we’ll hang out, chat, tell some jokes, it’ll be a light kind of thing,” Rose said. “But then online on the recordings it’s a full band production, which sounds awesome. It gives the songs energy that you can only get with a full band.”
In five years’ time, Rose wants to be touring Canada.
“Maybe even Europe,” he said. “I think that’d be awesome. You know, more people hearing my songs and enjoying them.”
When he was younger, Rose said his dream was to be a rock star.
“I can’t imagine doing anything different,” Rose said.
