BIOGRAPHY
Rosa Howze is a songwriter, producer, musician, and music instructor whose artistry spans R&B, neo-soul, and contemporary sounds. A native New Yorker, Rosa's musical journey began in childhood at Laconia Presbyterian Church in the Bronx, where she first discovered her love for performance. By the age of 13, she was performing in school musicales and recitals, quietly building the foundation of a lifelong calling.
Classically trained from the age of nine, Rosa's earliest musical influence was her mother, Cheryl, a singer and pianist whose guidance shaped not only Rosa's technical foundation but also her deep emotional connection to music. Under her mother's tutelage, she developed a strong command of music theory and performance that would stay with her for decades. She later furthered her training under Ethel Olsen at The Music School of Delaware, where she refined her technique and performance style.
Life, as it often does, had other plans. At 16, Rosa became a teenage mother and turned her full focus toward raising her son, Darine Howze — now a filmmaker, creator, and founder of InspireMe Productions — and pursuing her education. For many years, the piano sat silent. But the music never left her.
In 2012, a chance encounter while volunteering at a local phone bank introduced her to instructor and mentor Anita Short. That meeting quietly reignited everything. When Rosa finally called to schedule her first lesson a year later, it felt like she had never stopped playing. Since then, she has never looked back.
Now based in South Florida and releasing music under the name Rose Pedals, Rosa has evolved into a fully independent artist — writing, producing, and releasing music entirely on her own terms through her independent label, The Real Rose Pedals LLC. Her sound sits at the intersection of R&B, neo-soul, and contemporary music: cinematic, emotionally honest, and rooted in lived experience. Since her debut single "Something Like This" (August 2023), she has released six singles, including her latest, "Fingerprints" (feat. Brenneaux) — a neo-soul exploration of toxic attraction — out April 10th. She is also actively pursuing sync licensing opportunities, working to bring her catalog to film, television, and media.
Rosa's mission has always been the same: to move people through music, and to inspire others to do the same. Alongside her artist career, she continues to serve as a dedicated music instructor, nurturing the next generation of musicians and helping others find their voice. Her musical influences include D'Angelo, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, John Mayer, Prince, Jill Scott, and Tank.