Evrah Rose is an activist, musician and poet from Wrecsam, North East Wales. She creates her art to induce change. Speaking out about misogyny, sexual assault, working-class misrepresentation and so much more, she deserves to be heard. So, I thought it was time to do an interview with her, to introduce her to anyone missing out, and for anyone already a fan of hers to learn even more about how and why she does what she does!
Thanks Evrah for taking the time to chat to us at MMH!
Charlotte: What got you into music/poetry?
Evrah: Music, it began very early on. I remember some of my earliest toys were a toy electric guitar, and a keytar. I loved them. With every new little guitar came a lot of broken strings, I couldn’t help but twist the nuts beyond their threshold… I remember hearing Queen and Meatloaf and becoming absolutely blown away as a child. I think I was destined to be a rocker. I’m a very sensory person, the more dynamic the music, the more I’m lost within it and I think, looking back, that’s what music was to me as a little one. Poetry, it came from the need to be able to speak about some very difficult experiences but lacking the verbal ability to do so. I began writing around 9 years old and was later inspired by people like Eminem and Tupac. Rhyme and repetition for me is something I’ve always clung to, from very early on, and to hear them tell their stories by manipulating the way words sound and move, it was ear catching and resonated massively with me. I began rewriting songs of theirs, same structure etc but putting my own story in there. I particularly remember doing this with Eminem, The Way I Am. For some reason, that rewrite sticks in my mind. That’s how I continued to express myself. Never knowing I was creating or developing a skill. It was just an avenue to offload and confide. Poetry is still very much my advocate and therapy to this day and I draw influence from many brilliant artists including (not limited to); George the Poet, Stacey-Ann Chin, Kae Tempest, Maya Angelou, Kendrick Lemar, Akala, Lowkey and Audre Lorde.
Charlotte: Do you have musical friends and family?
Evrah: I have a number of musical, creative friends from musicians to visual artists. It definitely makes an interesting circle full of buzz and some sort of creative cog always turning in the background. I often send ideas forward for reaction. My family, there is a strong singing voice in there amongst us – my Grandad had a beautiful voice with a stunning vibrato. I seem to be the only poet and musician on the Welsh side though. My Irish side, however, it honestly feels like they’re born musicians as standard!
Charlotte: Did you have local influences in Wrecsam?
Evrah: Growing up, my Wrecsam influences were generally the grown folks who’d done great things with their lives. I often gravitated towards those who defied stereotypes, railed against the norm and were very vocal. Music wise, I wasn’t engaged in that side of the community if I’m honest. I didn’t really know how to access that. It wasn’t until I got older and grew into myself, did I begin delving further into the music scene and that didn’t come until my late teens. However, there was this guy who moved in just off my street when I was around 12 – a skater with a purple Beatle car. I loved his baggy jeans and his makeshift rings made from wheel trim fixings. He’d paint them all sorts of colours. It was with him I learnt how to play Linkin Park on guitar and what power chords were. I bought my first proper electric guitar at 13 having used both my birthday money and pocket money savings and took it to his. He was lovely in offering me lessons and just being an overall great influence on authenticity for me. Sad thing is, I don’t remember his name and I’ve not seen him since I left that estate. But I do think of him from time to time. I actually dropped the guitar for a number of years and picked it back up during my time off for knee surgery, which was several months.
Charlotte: Do you use many of your own experiences in your artwork, or experiences of others? Do you incorporate the two together into your music?
Evrah: Absolutely! My journey began with my own experiences and I learnt very quickly by sharing them people felt supported, validated and seen. I quickly became aware of the power of poetry and how using an accessible outlet to express yourself and speak openly about difficulties; it can challenge the norms of silence and provide others with the inspiration they need to own and express their own. I use a number of my own experiences and those of others to this day to prompt discussion regarding serious and neglected issues, and I always use my platform to challenge and highlight injustices.
Charlotte: What got you into spoken word/poetry?
Evrah: It was the natural growth and change in my writing I feel. I didn’t know that what I was doing was spoken word. I hadn’t actually shared my writing with anyone until my latter 20s. I often read and watched spoken word, which again, came naturally. I can’t actually state a point in time where I became aware. When I look back – I can see that even looking to my interest in Meatloaf and reading poems by Maya Angelou, and being inspired by speeches from Malcolm X, Angela Davis etc that I was subconsciously indulging in those elements, even if they’re not classically defined as such. Spoken word to me, is built on struggle, the need to vocalise those struggles and apply that power to connect and inspire the people. I never connected the dots to my own writing, though. I guess most of that is due to the confidence issues I had with it and myself. I never felt my writing was good enough or strong enough to share. I certainly didn’t believe it would have the ability to prompt discussion or appreciation.
Charlotte: In ‘If God Were A Woman’, you talk about content involving sexual assault, is talking about this important to you? Do you believe that it is important to break the taboos around sex, and sexual assault?
Evrah: Yes. I don’t understand why sexual assault is taboo – it shouldn’t be, we should be screaming about it! My only rational to this taboo is most women have been sexually assaulted by men and that’s an uncomfortable truth. Yet, it has become so normalised that most women don’t consider sexual assault to be so. We cannot continue to stay silent about this. Violence against women is a significant global issue. Women are murdered for their gender alone. Women are raped and sexually assaulted daily en masse. It is unacceptable for society to continue to brush this under the carpet because we feel uncomfortable about the subject. Sexual violence is more than uncomfortable, the impact following is more than uncomfortable. It can be life destroying. Fatal. We need to create an environment in which everyone advocates for women’s safety – including men. Until men and young men are calling out friends for rape jokes, assault and demeaning behaviour and language towards women – this will continue. Breaking that cycle begins in childhood. This is not a mans world – it is a world degraded by the belief that it is.
Charlotte: Why is sexual/patriarchal persecution something that is important and personal for you to fight against?
Evrah: Because everyday I see and hear so much misogyny. All you have to do is look in the Facebook comments on a post regarding pay parity and you’ll get a good insight into the mentality of many. The degrading comments aimed at women. Look at the burden of care on women; from birth we are regarded as the carers, pink, prams and small dolls – questions of; do you have a boyfriend? Do you want to get married? Fed stories of how we need Princes to save us. Women in sport, music and film always asked about their clothes, underwear or love life. Yet, men are free to talk their artistic, professional process, their ambition and strengths. Young boys are taught they can be adventurous, boisterous, brash and free to try new experiences. Young boys are fed toxic masculinity, taught they must not cry, must always be strong and women are irrational and emotional. Anger is an emotion and I see that daily in men, yet anger is never considered an emotion. Suicide is so high amongst young to middle aged men. Burnout is so high in women who literally bare the burden of every aspect of life, from childcare, employment to housing. Domestic violence against women is at extreme levels. We’ve really f*cked up here.
Charlotte: In ‘It Was Never Written’ you describe yourself as tenacious, why is this? Where do you think this determination came from?
Evrah: Tenacious is at the end of ‘It Was Never Written’. I describe myself as that because I’ve overcome a lot of barriers in life to continue to be me, to write and to enjoy life. From chronic and often debilitating health issues and the multifaceted barriers the come with being a gay working class woman. I’ve found there are some within the creative community who are incredibly toxic, who will go as far as creating rumours and lies to discredit another. I’ve been subject to that myself last few years, especially recently. I’m not frightened easily by this. And I am very vocal in calling it out those who restrict another’s access to art – it’s for the people and should never have a gatekeeper. In honesty, I wouldn’t know how to give up. I am incredibly stubborn, sometimes to my own detriment. I guess that’s what pulls me through tough times. I’m gritty and humorous, like my town and the folks who live here. You just can’t beat that WRecsam WResistance!
Charlotte: In ‘Up The Park!’ you talk about coming from Caia, was the community in The Park something you wished to replicate when creating your work? Do you wish to recreate/continue this sense of community by creating music/poetry that can bring people together?
Evrah: It is the community that raises you, inspires you and moulds you into who you become. Council estates have an abundance of that allyship, loyalty and connection. Yes, those are definitely things I always want to include within my work. Our brilliance as people is our ability to connect with a stranger via commonality. We don’t need to share the same heritage, background, goals or skin colour. We are meant to be diverse, different from one another. What we can share are words, kindness and music which often inspire, motivate and provide us hope. Those link us globally without even knowing it.
Charlotte: Being from Wales, do you have many other Celtic influences/inspirations both in life and within your music?
Evrah: I have been learning both Welsh and Irish and with that, engaging more in Welsh and Irish history. You can’t help but be inspired by both. The Activism and need to fight for what’s right. The refusal to be silenced. When I consider the constant attempts to subjugate Ireland and their language, along with the illegal annexation of Wales and purposeful erasure of Welsh history from formal education – I can definitely see their defiance in my work. The passion for speaking openly and fiercely about injustice. My Celtic roots are definitely the fire in my belly. I too may wander around the Tories ringing a bell every time they speak one day. Go on, Mary! A woman’s place is in the revolution! Always resist!
Charlotte: What sort of challenges have you faced being a woman in the music industry? How has this impacted your life/music/artwork?
Evrah: It’s constant. Arts is generally male dominated. Especially when it comes to rap. There is this misconception that women aren’t good lyricists. Its bull. I’ve met many women who are absolutely brilliant and stand above many, they’re often met with fierce opposition, degrading and sexualised comments. I’ve had comments from men that they didn’t want women part of their rap collective because they aren’t very good but heard me and give me a shot. That’s a back hander and very telling of their poor judgement, discriminatory attitudes and overall entitled stance. I didn’t stick around long. I get DMs a lot from men when I release a new track or film and it is often regarding my looks and not my art or message. And they often get offended should I not reply or, when I stipulate they not send inappropriate messages. During posts discussing serious issues, there is often a tone of whataboutary, that I can’t know any better because of my gender or, yes… But men. Whenever I see venues or festivals actively trying to ensure gender equal line-ups, the misogyny oozes out. The barriers are many, and many are hidden and I’ve too many instances to write here.
Charlotte: Do you have certain aims/principles of what you intend to put across in your work?
Evrah: My intention is always ensuring that I speak about something worthwhile, that needs addressing and prompt conversations regarding them. Whatever they may be. We need to create an environment of openness.
Charlotte: Why is being involved in Indy Cymru campaigns important to you?
Evrah: Because independence is normal. Independence is a right. It isn’t normal for another country to dictate or control another. Its toxic. Everyone has the right to autonomy and self determination. Our language, heritage and culture are vitally important to our identity. Repeated attempts to erase all of it over history ends with us. It’s not ‘if’, it’s ‘when’. We will gain our independence, and so will Scotland. Kudos to the Republic of Barbados!
Charlotte: What is your favourite piece of work that you have created? Why is this? Has this answer changed over time?
Evrah: It’s most definitely, ‘Up the Park’. I was told it was ‘crap’, not to put it out there and to choose something else by someone who’s no longer in my life (I rejoice daily). I defied that and went with it. The BBC loved it. What that poem achieved was discussion. It highlighted Council estates for their actual brilliance – a narrative rarely seen in the media who’s main purpose is pushing the degrading and fictitious stereotypes often linked to working-class communities. It gained so much traction when first released and although I received significant trolling online as a result; the support for it quashed the negativity. It provided kids with inspiration, connected people who hailed from but no longer live on estates, prompted nostalgia and allowed me the ability to speak to people further about other issues. It summed up my thoughts and care for working-class communities and gave others an insight into who I am and what I stand for. Up the CAIA!!!
Thanks again Evrah for your involvement!
For more on Evrah Rose, visit her website, Bandcamp, Facebook and Twitter.
Her debut album is available here, and her book is available here.
Photo credits: Tim Rooney, whose facebook is available here.
