Rosie Carney

Rosie Carney channels a confessional and emotionally resonant approach as a singer and songwriter whose atmospheric sound fuses elements of contemporary folk with indie pop. Born in Hampshire, England, in 1997, she relocated with her family to Donegal in Ulster, Ireland, at the age of ten. As one of only two girls in her class, she endured bullying from peers, and later faced sexual assault during her teenage years. Seeking an outlet for these experiences, she began composing songs that frequently evoked the Donegal landscape while mastering both guitar and piano. At sixteen, her work caught the ear of A&R representatives at Universal Polydor Records, leading to a recording contract. The imprint matched her with songwriting collaborators such as Brendan Benson, Angelo Petragalia, and members of Turin Brakes. Struggling under the mounting expectations, however, she found the arrangement untenable, prompting the label to drop her prior to any releases. She persisted in writing and performing regardless, earning an invitation to play the South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas, in March 2016. Her appearance drew favorable reviews, and NPR included her track “Antidote” on a playlist spotlighting standout SXSW discoveries. Stevie McMin, operating through the independent X Novo and Akira labels, then offered her a fresh recording agreement. Her debut single for the imprint, “Awake,” surfaced in January 2017, followed later that year by “Your Moon” and “Winter,” with “K.” arriving in January 2018. As her profile grew, Carney disclosed her earlier hardships and began advocating for improved mental health resources. She unveiled her first full-length album, Bare, in 2019.