Life & Work with Rosa Rodriguez of Nashville, TN

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rosa Rodriguez

Hi Rosa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.

Hello. Thank you so much for this interview. Hi, I’m Rosa Rodriguez, a singer, songwriter and actor from Honduras, based in Nashville, TN.

Wow that question brought me right back to my childhood.

My first music experience was in the Dowal school choir in Honduras (elementary). I lived in Tegucigalpa all my life until I moved to Nashville in 2016. Spanish is my native language. English is my second.

Recording in a studio with the choir and singing those same songs live together are some of my earliest music memories.

My first recording in a studio was for a children’s rights song called “Igual que Tú” (Just Like You) written for Unicef by Tony Sierra. 3 of us got selected to sing on it.

My elementary music teacher Lubis Irias, is the first person who ever gave me a microphone to sing in front of people and took me to several singing contests as a solo singer. I believe my family has all of those trophies back in Honduras. Not sure where lol.

I have moved so much over the years, I have kept less and less of my belongings each time. I’ve become sort of minimalistic.

At first, I saw music as a hobby and went to college for teaching (with an orientation in admin). But after I found purpose and meaning for my singing in church, I see it now more as a calling, as something I must do, created for it. I’ve taken courses, classes and self-studies in music since then. I did finish my bachelor’s degree in education. In many ways, it has helped me better manage everything I do, and I do occasionally teach songwriting workshops with the CMHOF and singing lessons with HFF.

When I first moved to Nashville I took a singing class with Brett Manning, an incredible celebrity coach. I took 2 lesson packages with Chris Keller, who transformed my voice and helped me learn vocal technique. The Singing Success program really helped me as a singer.

The band U2 was a huge inspiration in my life. My mom would always play them in the car. I became a fan of their music later on when I understood their message as a Christian.

I’ve always loved artists like Celine Dione, Cristina Aguilera, Laura Pausini, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Michael Jackson, Fey, Avril Lavigne, Paramore, among many others, it’s so hard to choose. But I’d say these really marked my influences and sound somehow. I can’t believe I got to see Celine Dione and U2 live, since I live in the U.S. A lot of these artists don’t tour Honduras. I did see Paul Mcartney in Costa Rica once, it was a blast.

Currently, I enjoy listening to Rosalia, Billie Eilish, The 1975, and Sabrina Carpenter. I go back to Coldplay and U2 a lot.

Growing up I loved to record music videos on my VHS so I could see all my favorite ones when I did my homework. Back when we couldn’t choose which videos to see.

My favorite thing to do was getting immersed in lyrics with my headphones, holding the lyric books that CDs used to come with in hand.

At the end of each month when report cards came, my parents would ask me what I wanted as a prize when I had good grades (nerd alert), I would get academic medals and everything lol, and it wasn’t until I was in High School when I realized I didn’t need to get all 100s and settled for 80s to have a social life haha, but my answer was a CD most of the time when I could choose to get something. Other times it was maybe sneakers (fewer times).

I think my parents noticed I loved singing with the song “My Heart Will Go on” from Titanic. My mom took me to a studio to record a Christina Aguilera song as a kid “Pero Me Acuerdo de Ti”. I was so shy as a little girl, I would sing only if everyone closed their eyes.

My mom would stand in the back of the crowd so I’d have a familiar face to look at. My microphone would tremble most of the time, so much so that I’d have to hold it with both hands.

As a teenager in church, I found meaning to my singing through faith, I felt much better knowing it wasn’t just about me, but it was about a mission to bring hope to others. I thank God, every day for everything. He is the source, my everything.

From a teenager to an adult, I’d say my previous band Audiolove was a music highlight and transforming season in my life. The band lasted about 7 years, it was there where I saw music could really be a career. That’s where we established how practicing and having the discipline to go for your goals could really make a difference. The vision really set in. I became a full-time musician in Honduras for a while before moving to the U.S. We opened for incredible artists like Pitbull, Prince Royce and others, and became the first female Honduran singer with a video on MTV, with our song “No Estoy Solo” (I’m Not Alone). I can’t believe that to this day. We toured the country too as a finalist in Pepsi battle of the bands. We had a commercial that featured our song “Communication” as well.

I worked in schools prior to that, and in the U.S. Embassy for a year, where we got to perform there as well at an event for the ambassador James Nealon. We performed at Teleton Honduras too. I’ve been so blessed to have performed in numerous events and worked with prestigious organizations over the years that have trusted me with the music of the evening.

I’ve performed over the years in venues big and small; stadiums like Chochi Sosa, Coliseum de Ingenieros, universities like UNAH, TN TECH, schools like USN (University School of Nashville), theatres like Franklin Theatre, Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) in 2023, Teatro Manuel Bonilla in my childhood, festivals, venues, private events, all kinds of places, I enjoy them all.

Since I became a solo artist and moved to Nashville, I have been a quarter finalist in the TV Talent Contest “Tengo Talento Mucho Talento” (2020), have been nominated as Best Female Singer in the Music City Latin Awards (2023), performed at Bridgestone Arena this year (2024) in the Music Row stage and at Geodis Park (2024) for Nashville SC’s Captain Club, have been invited to galas recurrently like the TJC (TN Justice Center) Gala and the BHA (Benton Hall Academy) Gala. Performed at the Ford Theatre in the CMHOF this year as well, alongside my ELLA writer friends and Pat Alger.

I love my work with the Lullaby project, a partnership with Intersection and Carnegie Hall, benefitting HFF (Hispanic Family Foundation), Renewal House and TJC. I’m one of the 4 songwriters in Nashville on this project. Been working with them for about 3 years now. My partnerships and alliances are something that mean a lot to me.

This has been an incredible year, I’m incredibly grateful. Something that was in my bucket list became a reality, I wrote some songs for Universal. Songs for sync. We even experimented with AI, new territory. Been lucky to have found incredible producers that go along with my ideas when producing songs for other projects and for my own. Special thanks to Michia, Alex Rivas, Travis Humbert, Sean Rogers, and Michael McGregor.

I’ve been featured in commercials, TV and film. You can hear me in the narration of the Spanish audio guide in the Cheekwood Mansion. A beloved botanical garden here in Nashville, where I also perform regularly in the Day of the Dead festival. I’ve been featured in commercials for Asurion, Lane Bryant, AIM, BCBST, and others. Played a role for a corporate movie in KY this year.

Apart from doing music and acting, I’m also part of the ELLA program (Entrepreneur Latina Leaders of America). Which serves Latinas and their businesses, and where I’ve had the privilege to be mentored by Pat Alger, who has written for Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton and others. I’m really grateful for Jackie Marushka’s mentorship last year, she helped me develop my brand, and has recommended me to incredible opportunities, grateful for Eva Angelina Romero who is my mentor this year, she is changing my life in so many levels, influencing me positively both personally and professionally, I’m not sure she knows how much I appreciate and admire her. Jessie Garcia Knowles, thank you for connecting us all, for believing in each of us. Your kindness is contagious, and the way you are a people person is something beautiful to watch. These women are leaders in the community and learning from them, walking alongside them is an incredible gift. I’m honored to be part of the team now. Can you believe we won “Best Non-profit” this year at the Hola Awards? ELLA ladies vamos todas para arriba, we’re all going up and growing together.

I’d like to thank my agencies PCG Talent (been working with them since 2021), now called NexGen Talent, and Dan Talent Group, with whom I just signed last month this year (2024).

I’ve increased the number of performances I do each year. This year I’ve done about 50 shows, apart from the Songwriting workshops I do for the Country Music Hall of Fame, and singing lessons for HFF. You may hear the jingle we created for “El Bronco” seguros in Nashville radios. So excited about all of this.

I’d like to thank all the wonderful musicians that play with me regularly: Andres Silva, Javier Mendoza, Miguel Cancino, Shirley Hernandez, Sean Ryan, Ramiro Vazquez, Allan Ocasio, Boris Roude, Manotas, Melvin Macias, Andrea Rodriguez, David Alastre and more. Shoutout to the videographers that have made my favorite music videos I’ve ever put out: JJon (“No Estoy Solo”) featured on MTVLA, Jon Gartner (“Closer”), and the most recent one: Andy Pollitt from Jeanz Media, who did the videos in my Ep: Rosa (Duetos) “Hojas de Verano”, “Adios” and “Okay!”.

I’ve toured the U.S. as well, though I perform mostly locally, I have done tours to promote my previous Ep “Rose Gold”, and my latest Ep “Rosa (Duetos)” embracing my real name Rosa, and performing in the U.S. Honduras and Mexico.

I did some shows in Hawaii last year with Sean Ryan, and was a guest singer for Javier Mendoza in St. Louis recently.

I can’t wait to start recording new music I have coming up, and get back out on the road to see everyone again.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

It hasn’t been easy. I think the most important thing for me has been to say yes to the things that feel like me, to the things I want to do. When we are bilingual, and can do many things, we could get consumed by doing what others would like you to do, or what they perceive you should be. Staying true to yourself is so important so we can be truly happy. Learning to say no to things can be hard but it is necessary.

It has been challenging at times, but I think I am at a place where everything I do for work is aligned with the values I stand for, everything I’m passionate about, and it has taken all my life to get here. When I got the artist visa, it literally took all my life’s work for it to get approved and be able to live and work in the U.S.

Naturally more opportunities have come along the way, once I embraced my purpose and calling. When I realized I’m here to serve, that synergy of all things has taken me to new platforms I never even thought I could get to.

With the achievements, there were also hard decisions and trials. In order to pursue music, I had to leave my house at a younger age than its customary in Honduras, the band I was in ended during the mid-recording of the second album, due to an attempt of abuse from one of the band members, followed by a divorce in the middle of releasing my first solo album and tour. I think music is a therapeutic outlet for me.

I now transitioned from artist visa (which I secured in 2020-2023) to resident. Permanent residency is something I’ve worked hard to obtain since 2016. It took me 8 years, going from one legal status to another.

I couldn’t be more grateful for the people in my life personally, like my husband Sean Ryan, who has a huge heart, the best smile and the most caring hugs, I call him osito (bear), I believe we found each other at the right time, it was meant to be. We got to know each other writing our song “Okay!”, a positive affirmation. Fell in love shortly after.

I thank my family and friends who are always there no matter what, in spite of the distance. Special thanks to my mom Jamileth Ramírez Villeda and my dad Norman Rodriguez, for raising me well and for still being like friends and counselors, my sisters Pamela, Ivonne, Marcela, Nicole, and Andrea; for being you, so proud of you, sending love to all my relatives in Honduras, my family in NY who we always have memorable times with. Without all these people in my life as my anchor and motivation to keep going, I wouldn’t even be here today.

I thank my church Crosspoint who has been like family to me here in Nashville, they have been there since day 1, even when I knew nobody and had just gotten here, all the way to now through all of life’s ups and downs. Lipscomb Family Therapy has also been an instrumental part of my healing and personal growth journey.

Being self-employed is not always easy; it has it’s trying and celebratory moments, having the discipline to meet deadlines, pushing ourselves to have a schedule, there are challenges as much as there are freedoms, but I do wake up every day excited about all of it, and I think that makes it worth it. Being happy with what we do, enjoying our everyday life, doing what we love, is something I’m incredibly grateful for. It’s meaningful. Nothing in life is guaranteed, so we might as well do what we love.

When we love what we do that transfers to everything else, other areas in our life. Like my mentor Eva Angelina Romero says: “Everything affects everything”. So, it’s important to take time to visualize the life we want and go for it. Be prepared to fight for it, even when it’s not easy sometimes.

One of the books that blew my mind was “The Road Less Traveled”, by Scott Peck. The first line in the book is “life is hard, deal with it.” I was like wow. If we expect it to be easy, it’s harder, but if we know it’s hard and prepare for it, we can manage.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

I’m the Rosa from Honduras.
I’m a Honduran singer, songwriter, performer, actor and entrepreneur living in Nashville, TN.
My music is Latin Pop. I’m known to mix it up sometimes with some spanglish 🙂
I’m so proud of my latest Ep “Rosa (Duetos)”, which is an international collaboration with artists from different backgrounds and cultures: Honduras, USA, Colombia, Cuba. It has had the best reaction to anything I have released before.

Among the musicians that play with me live we’ve also represented Chile, Peru, Puerto Rico, and more.
We love to have a great time sharing positive messages that are uplifting and encouraging.
My mission is to celebrate life through music.
I also do commercials, on camera, voice overs, write commercial songs (jingles) and I collaborate with other artists and organizations in town for shows and songwriting.
Visit my website www.rosarodriguezv.com for more. Let’s connect.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?

Don’t doubt yourself so much.

Start small. Even if it’s just one thing a day for your music. You’ll end up with 365 things at the end of the year you did to pursue your dreams.

Don’t compare your draft with someone else’s finished essay.

There is a place for each one of us, we can all thrive and succeed.

It doesn’t have to be a competition, we can all cheer for one another.

Work hard, rest when you need to, do your best, do the work you are happy with, then onto to the next thing, it will keep getting better, don’t worry if it’s not perfect. The next thing will be even better.

Own it even when you feel insecure, go with it, enjoy it, and you’ll see you did well after all if you just tried.

Practice, practice, practice.

Even when there are mistakes, keep going, no one noticed.

It’s more important to be authentic than it is to be perfect, just be yourself.

Social Media is full of highlights. We don’t see all the struggles behind the scenes.

You are great, believe it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rosarodriguezv.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosarodrv/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosarodrv
• Twitter: https://x.com/rosarodrv
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@rosarodrv
• Other: https://linktr.ee/rosarodri