We’re happy to be speaking today with acclaimed New York-based songwriter, Rob Roth; greetings and salutations, Rob! Before we meander down the Q&A musical pathway, how goes your summer of ‘23?

Summer has been pretty great!  I have spent some time with family, played a few rounds of golf, got to the beach a few times, and of course have been working on some music

Major kudos and accolades on your upcoming single Awol which is set to premiere on August 25! What inspired this gem of a tune?

Thank you so much!  Awol is inspired by prior experiences in the corporate world and the feeling of being so disillusioned to the smoke screen of companies actually caring about their employees.  It was written right at a time that I got caught in a mass layoff and it was a way for me to vent my frustrations.  By saying “I don’t wanna do it no more, think I’m going Awol” I really felt that it might be time to take a step back and reassess where I was going and what I wanted to get out of life.  I take a more positive spin on these feelings in the second verse, saying “glass is getting half full, like I knew it would”.  Though difficult at times, I like to find the good in the dark.

Awol speaks in part to a disaffection among a lot of folks in the world today. How do we as a people come together and get back to the basics and fundamentals of everyday living? Is that even possible in such a corporate-controlled and highly volatile atmosphere?

It really is such a simple concept of treating other people with respect as humans and not just a pawn in the game.  The happier someone can be in their career and in life, the better employee and person they can become.  I totally understand that corporations are for-profit and need to find ways of continuing growth in profit, but when does it become less about benchmarks and margins and more about paving a new pathway forward that is more sensitive to the diverse world we live in.  No two people are the same, and even those who are similar do not treat every situation the same way.  We all think and feel different things and by trying to force everyone to do and think the same it really restricts creativity and connection.

Who was your producer on Awol and what did the collaboration between artist and producer look like in the studio?

Awol was co-written and produced by myself, Ian Holmes, and mintsauce (aka Dominic Feil-Roots).  I went up to the Adirondacks back in May for a songwriting retreat hosted at Glassnote Studio.  There were 4 engineers/producers and 6 artists at the retreat including myself.  We spent the entire week writing, tracking, and producing two tracks, one of which being Awol.  The experience in the studio with Ian and Dom was incredible.  I brought a few unfinished pieces with me to the retreat and when I shared Awol with them it was an instant connection.  Ian whipped out the acoustic guitar and started working out some of the incredible riffs you hear on the track, and Dom was all over the drum patterns almost immediately.  The energy and encouragement in the room was amazing and it was such a pleasure working with those guys!

How is Awol similar to some of your past music? How is it different?

Awol is a major step up for me in terms of finding my sound and style.  It is the first music I have recorded at a studio and my voice has really matured over the course of the last two years.  At the beginning in 2021 I was very much in an experimental mode, trying to write as much as possible and really learn how to sing/find my voice.  I was lucky enough to have a few of my toplines picked up and released through dance/gaming labels such as NCS, 7Clouds, and Sovereign Records among others.  I then worked on my first EP which blended a bit of all my musical influences and was very much experimental from a sound perspective.  My Co-Producer, Adam Clark, was super influential and inspiring in pushing the sounds in that EP.  Over the course of the last year and a half since, I dove into the world of producing, taking on an internship with Adam and really honing in on my sound and listening skills.  I think this allowed me to have a really good idea of where I wanted my music to sit sonically and with Awol it really hits on my 90’s/00’s pop-rock and early 2010’s electronic influences.

With the release of Awol, can fans look forward to an EP or LP release from you before the end of 2023 or perhaps in early 2024?

There is definitely new music in the pipeline, an EP or LP is unlikely in 2023, but perhaps in 2024

What does your touring/performing dance card look like in the coming weeks and months?

I have a show upcoming at Rockwood Music Hall to celebrate the release of Awol and am building up a schedule for more shows in the upcoming months!

Who inspires you musically?

I am heavily influenced by Dave Matthews, Matchbox 20, Goo Goo Dolls, Avicii, Chainsmokers, John Mayer, Ed Sheeran, Linkin Park, among so many others!

You’re based out of New York City. How do those roots inform you as a musician and as a person?

New York is an interesting city to be in as a musician.  It is not the most music forward place to be, whereas LA or Nashville are considered “music” cities.  I am finding my way through and meeting some incredible independent artists along the way.  I think my experience in NYC as a person has been a mixed bag, as you can imagine with the storyline of Awol.

As a songwriter, which usually comes first for you – The lyrics or the music?

Sometimes the lyrics and sometimes the music!  It really depends on the setting and the purpose of the creativity.  Storyline and uniqueness of the lyrics are very important to me so they definitely are forefront throughout the whole process.  But, I really dove into production and a lot of the songs I am working on came from the music side first and then writing, but as many musicians can attest, I have 1000’s of voice notes with lyrical and melodic ideas that need to be fleshed out into song form.

Any final thoughts you would like to share with readers about Awol?

I am just very excited for the world to hear Awol and that they feel the connection to the energy and theme I poured into it.  It really is a universal feeling to feel overwhelmed and disconnected from the world and as I build community around my music I hope that people feel inspired to begin their own self discovery and awareness journeys and feel just a little bit less alone.  At the end of the day that’s what this is all about, making people feel.