I have never had anyone to compare myself to
People said I had a thing to learn or two
I had my studies and learned about life
In this world of ours Who knows what is true
Who knows what is true Who knows what is true

It was the legendary American singer-songwriter and record producer who once said, “Throughout my career, I have performed with many of the most accomplished singers, songwriters and musicians of our time. I consider Rósa Gudmundsdóttir to be an exceptionally talented performer who falls into this elite category of singers, songwriters and musicians.”

I’m passionate about being passionate. I’m passionate about spirituality. I’m passionate about helping other people. That fills me up inside, knowing that I’m of use to Earth, to people, to society, to other people, to my closest environment. I want to help the world. I mean, I’m an idealist, a hopeless idealist.

Vegan singer-songwriter Rósa Gudmundsdóttir was born and raised in the Westman Islands off the coast of Iceland. Her father is an accomplished organist and headmaster of the Westman Islands’ music school. Her mother is from Thailand, the first Thai-born citizen of Iceland by marriage. Rósa showed her musical gift early on, playing piano at age four.

I started playing the classical piano and the recorder when I was a little girl. My father is the headmaster of the music school on the island I was born, off the south coast of Iceland. He's a classically trained musician, so he put me in music very young. And I excelled at classical piano as a child, and then I also played the violin.

By the time she was 15, Rósa was performing on national television. But while her classical training nourished her heart, The Carpenters and Madonna also were her inspirational heroes. Still in her teens, Rósa played keyboards and sang back-up vocals for the techno group Dancin Mania. She soon won fame as a promoter/entertainment director from 1998 to 2000, producing exciting shows that brought in the top musical acts from around the globe.

Rósa then became a national cultural phenomenon as a producer and host of her own television series in 2000. Iceland’s media were thrilled about her, a beauty who spoke her mind and stirred up discussions often on ideas ahead of her time. Part of her strong personality could be attributed to her Icelandic heritage.

We’re strong people. We’re hard-working people. And we’re also nature activists and we really are connected generally to the Earth. There’s so much power of nature there, you know, geysers and glaciers and volcanoes. I grew up with two volcanoes up my street, by the way.

There’s a lot of energy in Iceland. Just the beauty, the nature, the energy, the activeness. Clean air, clean water. Very pure country.

At the peak of her successful television career, in 2001, Rósa decided it was time to focus on songwriting.

Music? Oh, I can’t even… I can’t see myself living without it. I’m here on an artist visa and I’m pursuing my career here in New York as a songwriter. I remember writing music when I was 12, but I have been professionally writing music, like real songs, since around age 20.

And all I can do is sing to you this melody
Of our love, so true

In Manhattan, Rósa writes the music and lyrics for all the songs that are then performed with her exceedingly talented all-women band, The Ultra Tight. Carolyn Marosy from New Jersey, USA is on lead guitar, Anne Lieberwirth from Germany is the bassist, and Vett Scott from Brooklyn, New York is on drums. Combining pop, rock, and soul, they illuminate every stage with fresh energy and virtuoso technique.

I wanted to start a female band. I just want to show that women can also play tight, and play, good like the guys.

It sounded original, it came across authentically, so why not? Rósa & The Ultra Tight. We play “ultra-tight.”

Constantly feeling other people’s pain,
wondering when I would go insane
But now I know it’s natural to laugh in the rain
But now I know it’s natural to laugh in the rain
Come on, girls, give it to me!

What inspires you in your written process?

Usually, love, heartbreak. Also, joy and human relations in any form, feelings, deep feelings, catalyst feelings in my life. Some of the deep sadness, sorrow, loneliness. I have to be inspired. I can, strategically sit down and write a song about anything and whatever. I have the availability, but that’s not, a true heart song. A true heart’s song comes, I channel it, and I thank God for that gift. That’s not from Rósa. That’s something… that’s a calling.

I literally sometimes wake up with a melody in my head. And I just lay and I listen to my head play something to me. And sometimes I get words that resonate with me. Like “Love Deficiency,” I wrote those lyrics first and then the song around it.

Everywhere around me I saw spirits good and bad
Negotiating, imitating, I had to have some peace instead
Constantly feeling other people’s pain,
wondering when I would go insane

“Love Deficiency” I wrote after... I was in Los Angeles for a work trip 11 years ago, in 2000. I’m sober now and I live a very healthy lifestyle, and back then I was crazy, party girl and whatever. But my writing, some of it is very deep, even though I was young and I was still in that life. So I obviously was contemplating spirituality and the deeper meaning of life. So “Love Deficiency” is about that, like what do I lack, why am I chasing all of this? Is it love that I lack?

I looked for lovin’ in all the stars,
but all I found was me
I rode the cars and attended the bars,
but I did not know what it is to be free
It was love deficiency, It was love deficiency
It was love deficiency, It was love deficiency

Remember what you really need
and remember that we are all the same
Remember that you have love in your heart and
I’ll remember your name

The lyrics in “Move Higher,” it's not “mover higher” in the building but “move higher” as a person. Evolve and become spiritually enlightened, then be responsible of your life and take chances. This is your life. So, it’s a very positive message.

It treats you bad And it treats you good
Just remember all you need is a roof and some food

I guess I want to change the world. I’m old-fashioned that way. I want to change the world. I want to continue saying my message about bettering the Earth, changing our ways, not forcing it upon anyone, just, I want to present it, for example, of how veganism has changed my life and bettered my health. It’s lightened my conscious. I can’t explain it. I feel like a different person today.

I am a vegan, and I'm a proud vegan. And I love this place; this is one of my favorites restaurants actually, the Loving Hut. The food here is excellent. I come here for the food and I've brought many people in here and they have excellent food and a lot of selection. And every dish is yummy and healthy, and I love it.

I got sober eight years ago from a party lifestyle. I started running and becoming athletic and started to do yoga and swim and all of that. And I started to think about my diet and what I was eating. What made me vegan was this story about a woman. She was talking about this little chick she held in her hands. And she just all of a sudden connected that this little chick had a heartbeat. Tiny little heart beat inside.

And I was reading that story and I was just like, "You know what? When I was a little girl, I never wanted to eat animals, I never – it wasn't my decision." But I was raised in a home, I eat what I have to eat. You know, I have no say when I'm three, four. But I remember as little girl I didn't ever want to eat animals and I connected back with “those are living beings.”

They have their own families. They give their own milk to their creatures, mammals obviously. But you know, and I'm here and I've never been healthier. I run very fast, I'm very athletic. God forbid I don't get, sick. You know, if I get sick, I get so healthy quickly and I get over it quickly. I just feel lighter also, consciously, I feel lighter as a vegan.

Do you promote veganism with your music?

Absolutely, I mean, I do. I do it wherever I am in my life, basically. And I partake in vegan outreaches here and there And hopefully as my influence gets bigger in the world, I will be the Oprah of veganism,.

You’re also linked to TheGoodHuman.com which encourages people to be better inhabitants of the Earth.

We need to not drown our Earth in filth, first of all. It's time to clean up the Earth. We're so abusing this planet that we share with the other living beings,. And the animal industry alone takes up so much of energy and food, and it's just become so deteriorated. It's horrible. I can't even tell you how I feel about that.

Who inspires you in life?

People that are making a difference in this world. Obviously, everyone can make a difference, individual effort. Madonna inspired me in the past because she printed it into my brain to follow my dreams. So I thank her for that. Classical composers – Bach, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Chopin – all of these men that channeled so much beauty into the world, so undistracted by technology. They inspire me. And people who make a difference: veganism activists...

Rósa Gudmundsdóttir’s wish is that we’d all be inspired to help build a better tomorrow on Earth.

Just Peace, Love, Go Vegan! Yeah. And be kind to Earth.

Make a change, you know? It’s time. I mean live a responsible life. Live like there’s no tomorrow. Take the actions that you need to take today.

Remember what you really need
and remember that we are all the same
Remember that you have love in your heart and
I’ll remember your name I’ll remember your name
I’ll remember your name

Many thanks and love, Rósa, for your inspiring music and important messages about following our heart and living harmoniously on the planet. We especially appreciate your outspoken advocacy of the eco-conscious, healthy and joyful vegan diet! With best wishes to you and the fabulous The Ultra Tight ladies for evermore success in your endeavors.

Rósa & The UltraTight’s music is available at www.RosaGudmundsdottir.com and www.ReverbNation.com/RosaTheUltraTight

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