10 Questions with Flora Rose
The French indie pop singer-songwriter-producer and rising star in the indie European music scene discusses her two previous EP's, love for Sam Fender and upcoming gig opening for Alessi Rose.
By: Spencyr Aronson
March 14th, 2025
Sounds by Spencyr: Hi Flora [Rose]! Thanks so much for doing this. Let’s jump right in!
You’ve mentioned the impact artists such as Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, HAIM and The 1975 have had on you in the past. How do their sounds inspire your music, and do you ever consciously draw from their styles when writing or producing?
Flora Rose: They definitely influence the way I write cause what you love is what you are [I guess]. Taylor influences the way I tell stories, The 1975 [influences] the way I play and produce my songs. Sometimes it can happen that I think of a certain song I love as a reference to a new song, but I never end up with a super song. The best ones are [the songs] I don't try to sound like anything I know.
On a similar note, you posted on TikTok that there’s “Nothing truer to your soul than the music you listened to between the ages of 15-18”. What were some of the defining albums or songs from your teen years, and how do they still shape your sound today?
FR: I had a big indie pop revelation in 2013-2015 with albums such as The 1975's debut, Days are Gone by HAIM, Pure Heroine by Lorde, Every Open Eye by CHVRCHES and so many more. They're definitely some of my favorite projects ever, and ultimately I think those projects encapsulate the sound I hope to achieve in my songs.
You produce all of your music independently in your apartment, which brings a uniquely intimate vibe to your tracks. How does your environment influence the sound of your music?
FR: Writing and producing alone in the comfort of my place is definitely reassuring but it can also feel a bit lonely and hurtful sometimes. I guess it makes me write more sad songs than happy ones? I really want to start writing and recording in new places with new people. I really think it's going to influence my sound.
Similarly, what advice would you give to smaller artists who’d like to learn how to self-produce? Have you ever considered bringing in an outside producer, or do you see yourself continuing to stick with your own (amazing!) abilities going forward?
FR: Well first, thank you for that. My first advice would definitely be to work with loops, there are tones on GarageBand you can use for free, and it helped me learn how to shape a song, recognize a key and get used to BPM’S [beats per minute].
You can also watch lots of cool YouTube videos, of people explaining production techniques or remaking some of your favorite songs. I may or may not be working with a producer right now, but it will always be a co-producing type of stuff. Producing is my favorite part of my job, so I'll never give it up.
You’ve gained an impressive following on platforms like TikTok, and your electric guitar cover of “Robbers” by The 1975 has almost three million views! How do you think social media has shaped your career (if at all), and has it allowed you to connect with your audience in a different way?
FR: TikTok definitely helped my career start. I got to reach a lot of my first fans, so it was a real game changer to me.
Nowadays, it doesn't have that same important force as it had before. I feel like there's so many new artists who are trying to get attention that it really is way harder to gain a following. I think we might enter a back to the basics era where live shows are what's important to connect with fans.
I completely agree with that. Since that career jump-start, what has been the most significant challenge in developing your unique sound as a French indie-pop artist, especially in such a competitive and dynamic music scene?
FR: Being a French artist singing in English is not a road for the weak, haha. The hardest was to connect with a large audience and not centered around a specific country (like France or [the] UK). My music gets streamed all over the world all the way from the USA to the Philippines, so it's a very odd dynamic as an artist just starting out. France isn't big at all on indie/rock music, so it's been a big challenge to develop myself outside of my own home.
You’re opening for Alessi Rose in Paris this April! Congrats on that opportunity by the way. How are you feeling about that show, and what can her fans who may not be familiar with your music yet expect?
FR: I am so grateful and proud to be opening for Alessi [Rose]. She's absolutely smashing everything she does, and I'm flabbergasted that I got the opportunity to open for her in Paris. Her fans can expect some good old indie-pop-rock music with cool guitars and a sad, dreamy, slay attitude.
“The Brown Eyed Driver”, one of my personal favorite songs of yours, just reached one million streams on Spotify. If you were able to tell your past self about the success the track would come to have, how do you think you would’ve reacted? Would you have predicted that song in particular would be your most streamed track to date?
FR: I would've screamed! It went so fast and I can't believe I actually did that all by myself! I loved writing and recording that song so much, but I wouldn't have guessed it'd have that success. It was definitely one of my favorites on the EP, but I thought it would not be pop radio friendly enough to succeed. However, everything turned out pretty well.
That’s amazing, congrats again on that accomplishment! I’ve noticed you’ve shared a lot about your love for rising star Sam Fender on socials. What is your favorite song off his recently released album? Besides Sam [Fender], who else have you been streaming as of late? Smaller artists in particular would be great to highlight.
FR: “Crumbling Empire”. I've streamed the full album an unreasonable amount of times. His previous albums were already on my list of favorite albums and this one did not disappoint at all. I'm obsessed with his writing. Besides Sam [Fender], I'm really loving Dora Jar at the moment. Also, Polly Money and Ellur are so good.
Lastly, this May your sophomore EP will turn six months old! What’s your favorite track from Falling Through The Drops Of Time? What’s the biggest lesson you learned from releasing that project, and what else can fans expect from you for the rest of 2025?
FR: I loved releasing this one, even though it didn't have the same journey as my first EP. I don't regret a single thing!
I loved my indie-artist experience where I can just release whatever and whenever I want. But now, I really want to take my time before releasing new music and make sure it sounds as perfect as it gets. My favorite on the EP is probably “The Last Prize”, but “Sauna” was so much fun to produce. For the rest of the year, expect more music, more live shows and hopefully more budget for it, haha.