An Interview With American Idol Alum Robbie Rosen

I had the pleasure of interviewing singer/songwriter and friend, Robbie Rosen. You may remember him from American Idol season 10. Since then, he's been attending Hofstra University, working on music, AND teaching as a professor. He recently debuted his new single, "Wasted Love", which is an EDM song he collaborated on with Lush, Simon, and Gazzo. With his busy schedule, Robbie was still able to take time out of his day to answer a few questions about the new single and the music process!

1. How did you end up working with Lush, Simon, and Gazzo and can you give me some background on who they are?

R- My amazing co-writer Lena Leon got the ball rolling, sending "Wasted Love" to some of her contacts, and then these connections made it all happen!! Lush & Simon are a DJ/producer duo from Italy, and Gazzo does the same here in the US.

2. I know lately you’ve been doing a lot of song writing. What’s your creative process like with that? Where does your inspiration come from?

R- Songwriting has been a huge part of my career, and the fascinating thing is that the creative process is different for each song. Sometimes the lyrics come first, other times the melody. Sometimes both come simultaneously, or on the contrary, I'll just sit down with a chord progression in mind and have to start from scratch. My inspiration comes from my own life experience, as well as walking in the shoes of others and imagining life from their perspective.

3. This new single, “Wasted Love” is an EDM song. Do you think you’d like to do more EDM style music or is pop the genre you’re sticking to for the moment?

R- I'm actually currently working on other EDM songs for producers from all around the world, so it's a style that I think will be a big factor in my career going forward. Although "Wasted Love" is an EDM song, the melody & vibe is very pop-oriented, as the song originated as a pop piano ballad. So there's certainly no rule in the book preventing me from combining my love for both!

4. What’s one of your favorite songs that you’ve done? (This can be your own songs, covers, etc).

R- I love performing "Forever Girl" & bringing a girl on stage each time I do. It breaks the monotony because each experience is always different from the last, just like each fan is special in their own, unique way. 

5. What’s the best advice you have been given in regards to music?

R- I was once told that you have to go with your gut, and that phrase has never escaped me. In music, you're always going to have different people with differing opinions because music is so subjective. There's no right or wrong answer like there is in school. It's all about what people think. So while you should always be open to suggestions and critique, at the end of the day, it's really up to you how you go about your career. I think this is without question one of the most important tips I've ever been given, as I apply it not only to music, but also to my everyday life.