MUSIC WITH HEART

Hunter Rose's sultry smooth vocals are ushering in a new era of neo-soul and RnB, as she bares her soul on every track.

- CHARNDRÉ EMMA KIPPIE

Watching Hunter Rose pursue her passion and succeed is to understand that music, at its core, is freedom.

It's a feeling of rhythmic release backtracked by sweet-sounding melodies that jolt and soothe all at once. It is an awakening.

Hunter's hypnotic sound has been around for four years so her legacy as a recording artist has only just begun, but this singer's introspective sound and evocative lyrics has already left an imprint on the South African music landscape.

BEHIND THE VOICE

Born in Zimbabwe, Hunter and her family moved to Johannesburg before settling down in the Mother City, where she completed most of her schooling. Raised in a musical household - her mother was a singer and her father DJ'd from time to time - her life's journey came naturally. "This definitely laid the foundation for the growth of my vocal ability, appetite for music and passion for the arts," she says.

"I started performing at a really young age, from talent competitions to showcases, and started cutting my teeth in the studio right after high school. With time and consistency, it eventually became my career." Self-taught and with God-given talent, Hunter received formal vocal lessons at a later stage, and attributes her growth to the guidance and advice she received from studio engineers and veteran Cape Town jazz musos she's had the privilege of performing with over the years. However, her mother and family have always been her biggest support system.