Biography
London-born vocalist Roses Gabor, also known as Rosie Wilson, blends a soul-steeped delivery with an introspective, atmospheric style that has led to partnerships across the electronic spectrum and a catalog of her own R&B-tinged releases. Gorillaz were the first to spotlight her, enlisting her for both the 2005 album Demon Days and the 2017 follow-up Humanz. Subsequent guest spots arrived with SBTRKT, Shy FX, Brasstracks, and additional producers, while her own “Stars” single surfaced in 2012 and set the stage for the full-length Fantasy & Facts, issued six years later.
Originally named Rosemary Wilson and raised in North West London by Grenadian parents, she absorbed an eclectic palette that ranged from classic soul and new jack swing to the soca and reggae records favored at home. During adolescence she gravitated toward Björk and Mary J. Blige, eventually adopting the performing alias Roses Gabor while holding a day job at a neighborhood bank. Her break came when Damon Albarn’s Gorillaz invited her to contribute vocals to Demon Days; she also accompanied the collective on tour, and by 2006 further opportunities emerged with SBTRKT, Buraka Som Sistema, Scratch, Machinedrum, and others.
Shifting emphasis toward independent work, she unveiled the atmospheric “Stars” in 2012, earning endorsement from BBC DJ Zane Lowe along with stylistic parallels to Solange, SZA, and Janelle Monáe. Two years later came the MNEK-produced follow-up “Rush.” A return to Gorillaz materialized on 2017’s Humanz before she resumed solo activity with the 2018 debut Fantasy & Facts, whose production included Mercury Prize winner Sampha Sisay (known for work with Drake, Kanye West, and Solange) and whose tracklist featured the single “Illusions.”
Originally named Rosemary Wilson and raised in North West London by Grenadian parents, she absorbed an eclectic palette that ranged from classic soul and new jack swing to the soca and reggae records favored at home. During adolescence she gravitated toward Björk and Mary J. Blige, eventually adopting the performing alias Roses Gabor while holding a day job at a neighborhood bank. Her break came when Damon Albarn’s Gorillaz invited her to contribute vocals to Demon Days; she also accompanied the collective on tour, and by 2006 further opportunities emerged with SBTRKT, Buraka Som Sistema, Scratch, Machinedrum, and others.
Shifting emphasis toward independent work, she unveiled the atmospheric “Stars” in 2012, earning endorsement from BBC DJ Zane Lowe along with stylistic parallels to Solange, SZA, and Janelle Monáe. Two years later came the MNEK-produced follow-up “Rush.” A return to Gorillaz materialized on 2017’s Humanz before she resumed solo activity with the 2018 debut Fantasy & Facts, whose production included Mercury Prize winner Sampha Sisay (known for work with Drake, Kanye West, and Solange) and whose tracklist featured the single “Illusions.”
Singles
