ROWENA WISE UNVEILS ‘NOBODY’S SAVIOUR’ + JOINS THE BELOVED FAMILY
Image by Nick McKinlay
Naarm/Melbourne-based artist ROWENA WISE (fka Ro) returns triumphantly with her new single ‘Nobody’s Saviour’, a mantra on misplaced heroism in a broken relationship. Hailed as a “lyrical assassin” by the Australian triple j community, Rowena’s storytelling is like a close friend, offering heady ruminations on love, loss and alienation while giving gentle echoes of courage and empowerment. A firm hand on the shoulder and a tender look of understanding, ‘Nobody’s Saviour’ is out now on Beloved Recordings (AU/NZ) and Dalliance Recordings (ROW).
A delicate yearner and observer, ‘Nobody’s Saviour’ bounces along with quiet confidence, examining the breaking point when one loses oneself in the pursuit of saving others. “I think love can make you stand too close to the painting to see it for what it is”, says Rowena. “I’ve learnt the hard way that you can’t save someone who doesn’t want to be saved, and you can’t love someone else if you don’t love yourself.”
Delivering her songs with candid immediacy, the power of live performance is vital to everything Rowena Wise. Crafted at Naarm/Melbourne’s Rat Shack studio with Robert Muiños (Didirri, Julia Jacklin, Little May) on production, bass and lead guitar, Jess Ellwood on drums and Matt Dixon on pedal steel, ‘Nobody’s Saviour’ was captured live in a room, in just a few takes. This approach gives her songs a punchy, organic sound, bottling up the raw essence of her performance whilst leaving edges unsmoothed to show a more fragile side.
Originally hailing from the surf town of Margaret River, Western Australia, Rowena Wise travelled extensively as a kid to perform in her family band. Her mother a folk musician from Chicago and her father a luthier who built her custom guitars, Rowena had a deep love for music instilled in her from a young age. Now based in Naarm/Melbourne and with a burgeoning reputation as a live performer, Rowena’s new music has a newfound sense of honesty, holding space for all of life’s beauty and messiness.
Inspired by the strong storytelling sensibilities of 60s folk icons, Rowena is a sharp lyricist who finds truths in fiction. Exploring themes of love, alienation and self-empowerment, her output is best filed as indie rock, garage pop and alt-folk, marking her as a rising talent who could soon be on a par with the likes of Aldous Harding, Courtney Barnett and Julia Jacklin.
Since bursting onto the scene in 2018 with her debut single 'Diary', Rowena has amassed over 2 million streams and gained airplay on major Australian radio stations such as triple j, double j, and unearthed. Her subsequent releases, including 'F**ked Up Over You' and 'To Pretend', have cemented her status as one of the most exciting new voices in indie-pop and alternative music. She has also collaborated with fellow Australian artist Didirri on the down-to-earth gem 'Tea Stains'. Rowena’s raw and dynamic live show has seen her perform at Woodford Folk Festival, BIGSOUND, Party in the Paddock and support the likes of G Flip, Didirri, Kira Puru, Little May and Bernard Fanning. In late 2019 - early 2020 she completed her first headline East Coast Tours, selling out her Melbourne shows.
