ROAN
how’s that working out for you?
Falling out with someone can be incredibly messy. Until recently, I had never been the best at confronting people about how they made me feel. I usually went the route of keeping it to myself, because when I stand up for myself: I cry, I start to shake and my words never come out the way I wanted them too. My people-pleasing instincts would kick in, take over, and before I knew it, I would be consoling someone over the fact that THEY hurt ME!
A while ago, though, I’d had enough of this. Someone I was close to had really hurt me and not taken any accountability for it. I was angry. So I decided to confront them. I had written all my feelings out and listed all the things I wanted to say to them.
But… while I sat there in front of them, I only said some of the things I had wanted to say. And as they began to cry and make excuses for their fucked up behaviour, I started doing what I tried my hardest never to do again: I consoled yet another asshole about the hurt they had caused me.
You can imagine how I felt leaving that conversation. I was absolutely kicking myself. I wished there was a way to go back and say every single thing I wanted to say. And then I remembered that I write songs…
I felt inspired by the blunt tone and emotional explosiveness of poppunk songs from the 00’s such as “Gives You Hell” by the All American Rejects, as well as the tell-all style of lyric writing of Taylor Swift. This song was made for all the polite and shy girls who are sick of people walking all over them. Sometimes you need to crash out and call that one person a “bitch” (I did it for you at the end of this song).
BIO
NL
Wat als je wakker ligt om 3 uur ‘s nachts in je kamer in het ouderlijk huis? Je kunt niet slapen, want zeventien zijn voelt als gisteren, maar op de een of andere manier ben je nu midden in de twintig. Je maakt je zorgen over de toekomst, of je ongedefinieerde relatie met die ene persoon nog wat gaat worden en je vraagt je af of je je voor altijd zo verdrietig zult voelen. ROAN’s openhartige en nostalgische pop-rock muziek, geïnspireerd door de sound van de 00’s, vormt de soundtrack voor die melancholische, slapeloze nachten.
ROAN is de artiestennaam van singer-songwriter en producer Merel Haasnoot. Geïnspireerd door onder andere Boygenius, Phoebe Bridgers, Taylor Swift en Paramore, ROAN uit zichzelf in goudeerlijke liedteksten met een melancholische en zelfbewuste ondertoon. ROAN’s goal is om een stem te bieden aan mensen die het lastig vinden om te zeggen hoe ze zich voelen en om een community te vormen waarbinnen discussies over mentale gezondheid, neurodivergent zijn en het uiten van hoe je je echt voelt normaal is en zelfs aangemoedigd wordt. Niemand staat er alleen voor. Dat is wat ROAN over wil brengen door zelf het goede voorbeeld te geven.
ROAN begon op haar elfde zichzelf gitaar te leren spelen en liedjes te schrijven. De dingen die ze doodeng vind om hardop te zeggen zijn altijd al haar inspiratiebron geweest. Ze was het stille meisje achterin de klas die eindelijk haar stem vond toen ze de pen oppakte. De openhartigheid en breekbaarheid waarmee ROAN haar verhalen vertelt in haar muziek is wat de luisteraar het meest pakt. Het is alsof je toestemming hebt gekregen om een kijkje te nemen in iemand’s dagboek. Van het worstelen met mentale gezondheid tot gekmakende ongedefinieerde relaties: ROAN's muziek vertelt je in detail het verhaal van een laat-bloeier die zichzelf en de wereld om haar heen voor het eerst echt tegenkomt.
EN
What if you were wide awake at 3 AM in your childhood bedroom? You can’t sleep, because it feels like seventeen was yesterday, but somehow you’re in your twenties now. You’re worrying about the future, if your undefined relationship is going to work out and if you’re always going to feel this blue. ROAN’s confessional and nostalgic 00’s inspired pop-rock songs are the soundtrack to those deep blue, sleepless nights.
ROAN is the stage name of singer-songwriter and producer Merel Haasnoot. Inspired by the likes of Boygenius, Taylor Swift and Paramore, ROAN has always gravitated towards brutally honest lyricism and a melancholic, self-aware tone. Together with her band, ROAN’s goal is to be a voice for those who feel unable to say what they feel and to create a community where discussions around mental health, being neurodivergent and expressing your true feelings (instead of just pretending you’re fine all the time) are normal and even encouraged. No one is alone in their battles, that is what ROAN wants to convey by letting people listen in on her own.
ROAN started playing guitar and writing songs from the age of eleven. Her inspiration has always been the things she was too shy to say out loud. She was the quiet kid in the back of the class who finally found her voice when she picked up the pen. The confessional nature of ROAN’s storytelling is what draws the listener in and makes them feel seen. It's like opening a diary and being allowed to take a peek into someone's most personal thoughts and feelings. From struggles with mental health to sanity-shattering undefined relationships: ROAN's music tells you every little detail of the story of a twenty-something year old late bloomer, trying to make sense of the world and of herself.
MUSIC
NL: Een kleine selectie van liedjes van ROAN’s komende debuut EP genaamd “Ultramarine”. Muziek over die specifieke soorten verdriet, verwarring, chaos en desorientatie die je alleen voelt wanneer je in de twintig bent.
EN: A selection of songs from ROAN’s upcoming EP “Ultramarine”, a collection of songs about the particular brand of sadness, confusion, chaos and disorientation that is exclusive to our twenties
PHOTOS
Click photo to go to full picture, then right click and select “save image as” to download
Press photo 1 | portrait
Foto credit: Denise Voss
Press photo 2 | full body
Foto credit: Ella Wijnen
Press photo 3 | live show
Foto credit: Martijn van Ditshuizen
BOOKINGS
For bookings (and other music-related inquiries) you can contact us on:
roanmusicofficial@gmail.com
SELECTION OF PREVIOUS SHOWS
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Wereldhavenda-gen
September 8th 2024
ACOUSTIC SET
InHolland Radio, Rotterdam
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True Colours Rotterdam
August 30th 2024
LISTENING PARTY
Smaak 81A, Rotterdam
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Shuffle Festival '23
June 2nd 2023
ACOUSTIC SET
De Nijverheid, Utrecht
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ROAN + music from 'ingenue'
June 1st 2023
Maaspodium, Rotterdam
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Rotown, Rotterdam
May 1st 2023
ACOUSTIC SET
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Pop op de kaap '23
May 24th 2023
Deliplein, Rotterdam
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Grounds, Rotterdam
May 9th 2022