Growing up in South London in a predominantly Jamaican household Rox “may not have had the conventional family life, but was very loved” as she puts it. Luckily for her, having a granddad as a pastor and coming from an all singing family meant she was immersed in performing from a young age. “Everyone at home sung, but going to church every week was a chance for me to perform to people other than my mum. It taught me a lot, especially harmony. We even sung country music, so I was learning about the lyrical side of music too”.
Rox admits that she always wanted to sing in the choir and the choirmaster quickly recognised her talent. He tried to nurture it by frequently giving her solos, “Initially I hated it! I wasn’t a very confident performer. I felt exposed and didn’t know what to do but if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have learnt how to perform!” Her choir solos and attendance at musical theatre college sat alongside Rox’s songwriting and piano playing - which she’s been doing since the age of 14.
Being brought up within the Seventh Church of God - a faith that has fairly strict principles had a huge impact on Rox as a child; “I wasn’t allowed to do anything after sunset, or watch TV and talk to my friends, so I would sit at home and sing songs”. Although her mother wasn’t religious, Rox’s grandparents were and they wanted her to go to university and pursue something more academic. “They couldn’t see how music could be a substantial career. They didn’t really understand the ins and outs of it. I told them university wasn’t my route in life, it wasn’t something I wanted to do. [It wasn’t until] they saw me on TV [that] they realized this was more of a reality than a dream in my head”.
Her real test, she admits, was not in fact her family but occurred while she was in Mexico. “I went there after college in 2008 for 4 months. I wanted to travel and teach English out there. It was a life lesson for me really. It taught me so much about myself and the world and not to waste time; to do what you believed in”. Following this experience, Rox came back to London and started doing gigs around the city.
Rox admits she had a heavy weight on her shoulders when thinking about her album sales, “if you’re not selling a certain amount of units, then you may not get the chance to make a second album. That was on my mind, but I had to get on with it”. She sees her first album has a growing process. “It sees me testing things out; experimenting. It’s a soulful record but I’m in no way a soul artist; the term annoys me slightly. It’s not a bad thing, but I’m not Whitney or Aretha, who are soul singers”.
Over the past year, Rox felt many people were pushing her into a particular direction and trying to pigeon hole her. But, her strong-mindedness and sense of self allowed her to make an album, “based on 3 years of growing up and experiencing love and loosing it. It’s about having your whole world broken but not yourself breaking and trying to get over it, seeing the light at the end of the tunnel”.
Working with acclaimed producers such as Commissioner Gordon in New York and Al Shux in the UK, Rox produced an album to be proud of. “We changed some things from the New York recordings, but Al made the whole process a lot easier. He knew what I wanted. I wanted it to be right and he knew what I liked”.
2011 will mean a lot of big changes for Rox. Not only is she moving into a new apartment but she’s already locking herself away in the studio to start work on her new album. She proudly states that this time she’s “going to be selfish. I want to write a lot more of it myself. On the last album I collaborated with people on the beats [and] chords. I can play, so why not do it myself?” The new album is going to be very different - hopefully released next year, the record “won’t be as safe as the last. I’m still 22 and I don’t need to be so serious all the time. So much has happened in the last couple years; I’ve grown up a lot”.
In time, Rox would like to start touring. “There’s nothing like performing to the people who love what you do. It’s the real deal where everything makes sense”, she states. Although she’s performed a lot around Europe, she doesn’t see cracking America as the be all and end all. “I’m a British artist, and I’d love to conquer England first. It’s not important whether it’s here, America, for me it’s what the fans want. I want to be everywhere!”
Rox’s parting words to the women of The Tip are stirring “learn to be comfortable in your own skin. This will only come from loving your flaws and faults as well as your positive attributes, which comes with time”. She confesses she’s is a modern day realist and says “women read these magazines and believe every word to be true. That isn’t reality…. Embrace who you are, there is never one ideal of looking beautiful”
Headscarf - stylists own, Ring - H&M, Faux fur coat - River Island
'Memoirs' the debut album from Rox is out now. Find out more at www.thisisrox.com follow her on twitter @ThisIsRox
