ROZES kicked off 2019 like the bad-ass woman she is with the release of “Halfway There,” her first single of the year. “Halfway There” is an emotionally charged battle cry that empowers anyone, but women in particular, to tackle their struggles head-on. As a woman working in the male-dominated music industry, she has experienced many biases and issues that arise from being a female professional. Through this motivating song, ROZES has inspired so many fans to fight injustice and stand their ground. According to Bustle, “Halfway There” has been marked as the 2019 Women’s March anthem and will be played loud and proud as the event takes place on January 19.

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Times up, don’t you think? // have you listened to 🌹Halfway There🌹 yet? 🌪

A post shared by ROZES (@rozessounds) on Jan 6, 2019 at 12:52pm PST

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Although the single can be interpreted differently, “Halfway There” began as a very intimate, personal project under ROZES’ sleeve. She opens up about the inspiration behind the song on her Instagram page as she shared that a few weeks prior to writing, she was struck by the news of her sister-in-law’s breast cancer diagnosis. Her initial anger toward the unfortunate news snowballed into something much greater. 

She explains that “I began to spiral. I began thinking about all of these unfair fights we have as humans. All these unfair fights we have as women. I wanted to write about the fight of feeling ‘Halfway There’ and knowing that the only option is to force yourself to keep moving forward with the war. The first half is acknowledging the fight, the second half is fighting the fight. This song has become my all. What started as a song for my sister-in-law, has become a song for all women. A song for all of us. ”

The strongest point of “Halfway There” is ROZES’ powerful pipes during the chorus. She belts out “We’re already halfway there // Are we gonna finish what we started or just leave it here? // ‘Cause the fight ain’t fair // If we’re hanging onto something only halfway there.” These lyrics can be taken both metaphorically or quite literally. In the circumstances of ROZES’ family member, she is faced with illness and no other option other than to fight it. On the other hand, the entire song can also be a metaphor for the emotional pain many women have endured while existing within patriarchal society. More specifically, “Halfway There” fuels awareness of the “Me Too” and “Times Up” movements.

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– IT’S OUT!!!!!! – The day I wrote “Halfway There” was an emotional one. I remember walking into the studio with my brother @patman_n_robin saying to @aachafin & @kydtheband I wanted to do something organic, passionate and real, I really wanted to cry. I was at a point of frustration with life within the music industry, and feeling held back and trapped. A few weeks before writing Halfway There, our sister in law @shealynkirts was diagnosed with breast cancer, so our emotions were running high. I felt so angry that someones body could turn against them, and so angry that I couldn’t make it all better. I was heartbroken for her and my brother @paulthalamew , that at 30 their world was flipped upside down. I began to spiral. I began thinking about all of these unfair fights we have as humans. All these unfair fights we have as women. I wanted to write about the fight of feeling “halfway there” and knowing that the only option is to force yourself to keep moving forward with the war. The first half is acknowledging the fight, the second half is fighting the fight. This song has become my all. What started as a song for my sister in law, has become a song for all women. A song for all of us. She has a way of doing that: inspiring the fight in others. We as women are forced to endure much more than we deserve. We are forced to climb mountains that don’t exist for many others. I know this because I have experienced it first hand. The thing is, it’s a mans fight too. It calls for unity. It calls for all of us. Whatever your fight. I hope this inspires and empowers you like it has for me. Xx 🌹 link in bio 🌹

A post shared by ROZES (@rozessounds) on Jan 4, 2019 at 4:54am PST

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Ultimately, “Halfway There” can be applicable to anyone who has found themselves in a tough situation, environment, or mindset. We could not be more proud of ROZES for sharing such a vulnerable song and story. Honestly, the release of the single could not have came at a more perfect time. “Halfway There” encourages us to stand up for what we believe in, and prompts self-acceptance. Let’s leave the self-deprecating attitudes in 2018 and follow ROZES into the new year with bright eyes, high hopes, and passionate minds.

Featured Image: Photo Finish Records