Majesty Rose releases first EP album, 'Bloom'
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on June 27, 2016 1:46 PM
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Pictured is the cover art for the new Majesty Rose album. Rose from Goldsboro, who placed in the Top 10 on "American Idol" two years ago, has released her first EP, featuring five original songs.
Majesty Rose, the Top 10 finalist in the 2014 season of "American Idol" with Goldsboro ties, has released her first album.
The EP, or extended play, album, "Bloom," features five original songs and is available through social media.
The independent release was produced, mastered and recorded locally, with a little help from her friends, she said.
The soft-spoken vocalist with the big voice has turned the sentiment into a website, www.friendsarebetterthanfans.com. She has backed that up with her latest career venture, involving friends in every aspect of the process, from being part of her band to participating in the production.
A 2010 graduate of Eastern Wayne High School, Majesty Rose had attended Wayne Community College and been a preschool teacher at the YMCA before pursuing her musical aspirations.
She gained national recognition in 2014, when she auditioned for a spot on "American Idol," finishing ninth place in Season 13 of the show that ended its run this past spring. Earning a spot in the Top 10 guaranteed her participation on the national summer tour.
Since returning to her hometown, she has been building her musical repertoire, performing and writing music.
Some of her "unfolding stories" came together and made it onto the album, she said.
Songs include "Let the Flag Raise," "New People," "Like the Sun," "How Far," and the title track, "Bloom," written when Majesty was 17 and first learned how to play the guitar, she said.
"I'm beyond proud of the fact that my EP was created from the ground up, independently," she said this week. "I wrote most of the songs shortly after my return from the American Idol tour."
She was particularly proud of the collaboration with her older sister, Joi Leamon, who wrote "How Far," she said.
"We've been creating music together since she were babies," she said, adding, "The writing process was easy, especially when I teamed up with my good friend, Kevin Gardner. He's released a few albums himself, all contemporary worship, so it was fun to experiment with new sounds and new ways of communicating through music."
It has taken a lot of work, she said, with some hurdles and setbacks along the way. Despite that, she said she remains excited about every aspect of her journey.
"I had to trust that there's a plan for my music, my career and just like my American Idol story, nothing can get in the way of my destiny," she said. "I want my followers to soak into every lyric of my songs because they were written with them in mind.
"I listen to my songs over and over and think of them from others' point of view. I love connecting with my fans this way. It's so fun! I can't wait to see where this music goes."
The EP is featured on her site and is available on iTunes and cdbaby.com/cd/majestyrose.