Claire Rosinkranz On Experiencing Life And Leveling Up
Samantha Colleran, October 2023
Claire Rosinkranz took the Internet by storm with the release of her hit “Backyard Boy” which has gained over one billion streams. Riding the success of that track, Claire released a few more singles, which ultimately led to the creation of her debut album Just Because. At only 19, Claire has experienced a lot of life and bares it all on the 13 tracks that make up Just Because. A true coming of age body of work, you’ll find it hard to not fall in love with Claire’s sound and style.
Growing up, Claire was exposed to a lot of music. Her father played the violin while her mom played the piano, and they continue to inspire and influence her today as Claire’s dad is the guitarist in her band and even helps her write. Without music, Claire would be lost, she describes it as her processing system. She writes about both the good and bad things she’s experienced as they were happening and describes these songs as a collection of journal entries from different points in her life over the past few years as she’s processed the things that have happened to her.
Although some of the topics Claire sings about are deep and personal, a lot of her production choices make the songs sound playful and upbeat on the surface. This choice is intentional; writing about dark topics and using a darker production style would make Claire feel as if she was drowning. Writing about dark topics but using lighthearted production helps Claire out of the dark place and to fully process the situations she found herself in. Making Just Because has allowed Claire to level up in life and slow down to really understand what’s happening around her.
Writing songs for Just Because wasn’t a challenge. Claire found it easy to be vulnerable and speak about the things she’s been through because she surrounded herself with a small group of people she felt safe speaking her mind around. Feeling angry, sad, and hurt made it easier for her to write, it was a healing process. The challenge came once the songs were complete, it forced Claire to stop invalidating the things she went through because they were serious and life changing. One song where this comes through is “Sad In Hawaii”; Claire opens up about going to Hawaii to escape an intense situation, only to find herself in another uncomfortable situation in a place that is meant to be paradise. Although she has worked through her trauma surrounding the situation, at that time she felt as if she was drowning. Writing “Sad In Hawaii” was a catalyst for the remainder of the songs on Just Because.
For first time listeners, Claire recommends getting out in nature to listen to her music. If you’re by a beach or can drive through canyons or along the coast that’s ideal, but anywhere in nature will do. One of her personal favorite tracks, and one that has quickly become a fan favorite, “Swinging At The Stars” is a track Claire says best describes her personality. Capturing the feeling of what it’s like to be fully alive and experiencing deep human emotion, this track was bound to become a hit. The lyric “Wanna be tired when I get to my grave” is one that best describes the record as a whole. Getting little glimpses into Claire’s mind with each song, you truly understand that she’s prepared to experience everything she can before she’s no longer here, and “Swinging At The Stars” is the song that drives that point home.
What can listeners expect to see from Claire in the future? She hopes to release more music and that the music she’s releasing connects with people and brings them comfort. As Claire grows, so does her music, so listeners can expect to hear different styles and more developed sounds. She hopes to spend some extended time in New York to work on a winter album. For now, she hopes listeners are able to feel every human emotion possible when listening to Just Because.
You can follow Claire on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter to stay up to date on all of her future releases and tour dates. Just Because is available to stream on your preferred streaming service, be sure to drop your favorite song in the comments!