Neena Rose: Secret (feat. NorthSideBenji)
The fast-rising young Hamilton urban artist showcases her hip-hop side on a catchy cut featuring a Toronto rapper.
By Kerry Doole
Neena Rose - Secret (feat. NorthSideBenji): At just 17, this Hamilton-based singer/songwriter is getting noticed on the urban music scene. Her breakout single was 2018’s Games, and two tracks released this summer, Mannequin and (You A) Machine Gun, also made a mark. Look for this new cut to make her even less of a secret (it has grabbed 60K YouTube views in just a week).
Taken from her forthcoming EP, 333, it is a collaboration with rapperNorthSideBenji. The pair trade verses fluently and the sound is more hip-hop inflected than earlier tracks.
The EP is co-written and produced by Universal Music Publishing Group’s 80 Empire, who describes Rose "an incredible vocalist and witty lyricist."
Rose has stated that "writing lyrics is my favourite part of the process. It’s always been a thing I love to do. Any time I feel any way, I’m writing a song. If I’m happy, I’m writing… If I’m sad, I’m writing… and I’m always listening to new beats."
Shooting the eye-catching video was a blast, she adds. "We filmed in a small town where all of my friends live. While filming at the diner, I saw so many people I go to school with. Considering I had to run by them with a bag full of money for one of the scenes, they were confused! And I had never driven a vintage car like that before. It was hilarious to watch me try and turn with that huge wheel, but, by the end of the day, I was making three-point turns like nobody’s business!”
Back in March, Rose spoke on the Young Guns — Innovative and Thriving in the New World Music Order panel at the California Copyright Conference.
Fun fact: Rose is a voice behind the theme song of CHCH’s famed program Tiny Talent Time, while her dad performed on the show — with his accordion — as a kid.
Rose performed at Hamilton's Supercrawl last month and has a slot at Indie Week in Toronto upcoming.
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