Baby Rose
Through and Through
SECRETLY CANADIAN
ABOVE THE CURRENT
Jasmine Rose Wilson—a.k.a. Baby Rose—is a rising voice in R&B whose contralto vocals move with effortless range in a way that draws comparisons to Nina Simone. Rose’s talent has even recently landed a song of hers on the Creed III soundtrack, giving her a reasonable shot at an Academy Award nomination—a nod that would not be all that surprising based on the sounds of her latest effort, the exceptional sophomore release Through and Through.
The new record never disappoints as it walks a tightrope between modern R&B, funk, and soul music. It’s this dynamic of genres that beautifully showcases Baby Rose’s skill as a singer—you can hear her twisting her inflections at will, harnessing empty space, and demonstrating the power of her voice. Through and Through makes it pretty clear why she was praised by both SZA and Kehlani early in her career, around the time she landed a feature on J. Cole’s Revenge of the Dreamers back in 2017. Her voice holds a superposition in the modern moment while simultaneously throwing back to a bygone era, much in the same way Amy Winehouse’s commanding vocals once did.
Recorded in Nashville and in Los Angeles at Revival at the Complex—a studio built by Earth, Wind & Fire donning vintage analog equipment from the 1970s—Through and Through’s deliberate retro-inspired production is perfectly done, never tipping too much to nostalgia or to modernity. She steers clear of samples and electronic sounds and instead opts for live instruments, which imbues her music with a pleasant vintage feel. Like many R&B albums, the lyrics focus heavily on relationships. But as cliché as that subject matter can be, it’s not all lovey-dovey, as Rose focuses instead on the darker aspects of the psyche—the id, a similar terrain trod by SZA on SOS.
Her album, though, is much more than her voice and instrumentals—she’s a clever songwriter in her own right. Standout track “Paranoid” explores the mental anguish of feeling stuck at a crossroads, unsure of where to go and fearful of the unknown. A repeating and echoed-out guitar motif creates a feeling of unease while perfectly creating an atmosphere that’s both aurally pleasing and which bolsters her lyrics of anxiety. Another album highlight, the Smino-featuring “I Won’t Tell,” showcases that clichés can be twisted into something eerily new, focusing on the secrets we keep and the relationships that we hide.
In all, the record is a fascinating exploration of sound, lyricism, and musicianship that holds its own. True talent is hard to dismiss, and Through and Through shows listeners that Baby Rose shouldn’t be overlooked.
