Country duo Rowdy’s Rose is comprised of couple Rosie and Blair Shaw. These guys from Waikato kicked off their career during the dark days of the pandemic by releasing live performance tracks on YouTube, and it’s taken – and continues to take – them to the home of Country, the USA, where their star is growing ever brighter.

New single Shooting Star is a prime example of why. Kicking off with a nice, warm acoustic strum and Rosie‘s crystal soprano, the song layers very professionally, adding some subtle sliding steel guitar followed by some strings. As the percussion and bass drop in, the emotive feel of the song is really grabbed and run with by the heart-string chord structure that fuels the entire direction of the rest of the composition. Layered guitars and subtle strings drop in at the right points, and the percussion turns into outright drums just in time for the first chorus.

It’s orchestrated very well indeed, and the desk twiddling by Whitianga’s Dave Rhodes Productions (who also played the drums on the track) can be commended for a job masterfully done – pun intended. Blair did the guitars, bass and sang BVs to Rosie‘s beautiful lead. Speaking of which, Rosie‘s melody is well composed too, with the lady wearing her heart completely on her sleeve as she sings powerfully and plaintively. Why such emotion?

Rosie‘s Dad passed away in 2020. The song is about her relationship with him. From their info to me: It’s a song about a father-daughter relationship. This song came out one day, a couple of years back, sitting on the couch, the lyrics came rushing in and onto paper, almost like an outer body’ moment. Once we read them back, it was like it was a message from my Dad back to me, about being enough, being brave and having the strength to get through anything life throws at you.

This is perfect for Nashville. Anywhere along the Mississippi and the Delta, the mid-west and any other home of Country. This country has a burgeoning Country music scene and if you’ve been following them, you’ll be aware that Rowdy’s Rose is right up there at the apex. Listen to Shooting Star and you’ll understand why. I hope this gets a lot of airing around Aotearoa, because it’s the sort of song that causes Gore to take the week off their normal 9 to 5 (see what I did there with the 9 to 5 thing? Country music? Dolly? I am SO sharp) and send everyone to bed smiling after a week of line dancin’ and hoedowns. I’m not being facetious – that stuff is great fun!

It’s on Spotify. It’s on YouTube. If you like your Country what are you waiting for? You’ll be glad you gave it an ear. Great work Rosie and Blair – lovely, bittersweet, excellent writing, composing and a top level production. 10 out of 10.