Paying homage to her grandmothers’ remarkable resilience and strength, “Roses” opens with audio of a young Aphrose engaged in prayer for each individual family member, woven into the ethereal melody of the song. Aphrose‘s delicate voice gently reminisces about the woman who influenced her most – a woman whose journey was marked by adversity, escaping an abusive relationship to move her children from Trinidad & Tobago to Canada, raising her family by herself, and creating a safe and loving environment that has withstood until today.

Aphrose‘s lyrics, emotional delivery, and stunning inflections are remarkably personal while offering a musical space of warmth and understanding for all those who have been lucky enough to have loved and lost someone as inspiring in their life.

In “Roses”, the soulful bass line interacts with the melancholy of the rhythm guitar to create a stunning, ethereal, R&B musical landscape. Drawing influence from modern R&B artists Miguel, SZA, Frank Ocean and SiR, “Roses” is an ethereal, contemporary R&B track that is poignantly written and in which Aphrose offers heartfelt love, appreciation, and the promise of continuity to be a similar beacon of strength for her own daughter as well.

Written by Aphrose and her longtime musical collaborators, Scott McCannell (of production team SafeSpaceship) and guitarist Heather Crawford (Jesse Reyez), the ballad features a stunning five-person choir featuring some of Aphrose‘s favourite Canadian vocalists, and was arranged by Nevon Sinclair (Daniel Ceasar / LOONY).

 In Aphrose‘s words: “The song’s narrative embodies the boundless love and selflessness exhibited by my grandma Rose, who selflessly dedicated herself to her family’s well-being, thereby bestowing us with the outlook of a brighter future. Her journey was marked by adversity; a young marriage and early motherhood in her homeland, Trinidad & Tobago, brought her face-to-face with a distressing cycle of emotional and physical abuse from her former spouse. Nonetheless, she defied the odds, summoning the courage to break free from the toxic circumstances. Taking her five children under her wing, she embarked on a remarkable journey, securing employment with the city and single-handedly raising her kids. A beacon of unyielding strength, she has been my guiding light since childhood, alongside my mother and aunts, who collectively serve as my source of inspiration.”