Kellie Rose (Aka K.R.) is a singer-songwriter and all-around creative based in Seattle, Washington. Known for her live looping performances, heart-rending lyrics, and effortless, soaring vocals, Kellie Rose is quickly giving pop a new name.

In her newest release, ‘Same Team,’ the artist asks: How do you give more when you’re already giving everything? What do you do when it all gets too heavy, but you’re still trying to remain a daydreamer?

You need a believer
But I’m losing steam
I see a winner,
A deserved dream

And I want it too, babe
I want it so bad
But it gets so heavy
What do you make of that?

‘Same Team’ has soft vocals in the beginning, which are reminiscent of Billie Eilish’s more gentle tracks. KR made the first half a gorgeous, stripped-down pop track with a touch of golden-hour indie-folk. Which then (at the midway point) morphs into a soul-imbued, intense piece.

After the first two stanzas, an earthy rhythm builds into a stompy section (for an instance) before a poignant minor turn shifts the story toward idealism.

Baby, love
How do I break through to you?
I want to try
Whatever is meant for you is meant for us
I’m catching my breath again tonight

At first, as you listen, you wonder… Is this going to be a sad love song? Then, it turns toward sincere hope: the effort to truly be on the same team. The second time we feel this perspective shift, it is marked by a lush organ-like synth that blends seamlessly into K.R.’s voice.

The fear creeps back in, but the hope returns like a wave, richer and fuller, with new harmonies that thicken, culminating into something cosmic, vast.

Throughout ‘Same Team,’ carefully cultivated percussion rises and falls at key moments, which mirrors the emotional push and pull. This single is like a whisper turning into a belt… a massive emotional crescendo.

But in the end, we’re left wondering:

If ‘Same Team’ tells a story we all know (trying, hoping, fearing)… and trying again, then how does it all end? Will these people remain on the same team? Is it a love song, a heartbreak song, or both?

Maybe, it’s just life.

“ …a gorgeous, stripped-down pop track with a touch of golden-hour indie-folk which then morphs into a soul-imbued, intense piece”

‘Same Team’ has seamless lyrical flow and impeccable emotive vocal delivery. How do you approach writing lyrics like this?

Seamless!? I’m honored. Songwriting has always been a natural ability for me and this song came soon after a conversation where I realized I wasn’t being a very good team player…

How do you rehearse an original (vocally) before recording it in the studio?

Once I write a new song, I can’t get it out of my head. By the time I’m actually recording it, I’ve sang it enough times that I know how I want to hear it, but honestly, a lot comes together real-time, in the studio.

Who wrote and performed the percussion track for ‘Same Team’?

I co-produced this song with Amit Sounds, a friend of mine. He has a way of asking the right questions so I can get the exact vision I hear in my head when making a song.

When did you first start live looping, and what pedal did you use? How has your performance process and gear evolved since?

The loop pedal, honestly, has been such a game changer. People enjoy listening to it/watching it happen, it makes performing more fun and interesting for me yet I can still accompany myself and play shows without having to rely on another musician. Learning guitar so I could play for myself was one thing but the pedal allowing me to add percussion and harmonies took everything to a whole new level. I used to use the Boss RC300 but switched to the RC600. I also use the hand pedal, the RC525 and enjoy incorporating other samples into my sets.

What’s your favorite part about being a solo act?

As eager as I am to tour the entire universe with a sick drummer, a filthy bass player and a couple more of the right homies, I really enjoy putting on the Kellie Rose show myself. I get to tweak and bend and play TRULY for the audience, adapting my show as necessary. I know I’ll arrive on time, I know who to count on, I know I have what I need – so far, performing as a solo act has felt very safe.

How was the process of “Same Team” similar to and different from ‘Safely Hate Me’?

Haha, oh man, that’s an ironic question… ‘Safely Hate’ me happened after I got yet another nastygram from somebody I didn’t know but knew of. I decided that if I was going to have people hate me having never even met me, the least I could do is make it safe to do so. Talk your shit, have your feelings, but I won’t make your life harder for it. I think more people should try to be a safe person to hate. ‘Same Team,’ on the another hand, was the result of someone dear to me telling me they needed me on their team. That they wanted to trust that the big, beautiful dreams I have for myself included them and theirs too. Fair ask, I suppose.

You mentioned running the workshop, ‘Pen to Paper,’ for collaborative songwriting. How do group sessions compare to private ones, and how has this influenced your studio work and songwriting?

Ahh, yes! Pen to Paper! Such an exciting development for me and my brand. There’s something so, so beautiful about helping an individual or group of people create a song having never done it before. Whether 1:1 or in groups, I usually get a lot of emotion out of people. Laughter, tears, raw storytelling; I’m excited to see where this workshop goes. There’s no “right way” to write a song. Therefore, we should all write one!

Lastly, is ‘Same Team’ a love story, a heartbreak song… or both?

Both! Both, I think… ‘Same Team’ is about recognizing that we have no power over our teammates but we always have our part. We can show up better for them and ourselves should we choose to.

Kellie Rose Website / Instagram