Alberta Metis singer-songwriter Brettyn Rose has released her debut EP, The Wild West, a six-track collection that explores themes of love, loss, and growing up. The EP, which came out earlier this month, features songs written between 2021 and 2024, capturing a transformative period in her life.
Early Influences and Musical Journey
The first country song Rose learned to perform was Kacey Musgraves' Stupid, a cynical take on relationships with a classic "that-man-done-me-wrong" vibe. Although she mastered it over a decade ago with her guitar teacher, Rose admits it might have seemed odd coming from a young teen. "It is not an age-appropriate song for a 13-year-old," she says with a laugh. "Live and learn."
Growing up in Okotoks with parents who loved classic rock, Rose discovered country music after receiving her first guitar at 13. She quickly connected with the genre's storytelling. "I think it was the storytelling," she explains. "I've always felt very deeply that I'm a storyteller and an observer. I have a degree in psychology, so I'm innately interested in why people do things. Country music is the storytelling genre, and that's why I'm so connected to it."
The Wild West EP: A Personal Narrative
The EP opens with the salty kiss-off track Even Your Mama, where Rose defiantly tells a rejected lover, "I don't need ya, had to leave ya, even though your daddy said that I was a keeper." The song sets a bold tone, but Rose also takes a tender approach on mid-tempo love ballads like Leavin' on My Lips and the title track, as well as the wistful closing track When I Stop Loving You.
Rose reflects on the period when the songs were written, noting that many life firsts occurred. "I fell in love and was in a very happy, healthy relationship that I'm still in to this day. That was new for me," she says. "In the fall of 2021, my parents very suddenly split up. I was fortunate to grow up in a happy household, so that was a bit of a 'your world is turning upside down' moment."
Country Music as Storytelling
Rose's connection to country music runs deep. "I fell in love with the instrumentation: pedal steel, fiddle, and the stories—especially the sad ones," she says. "Even though I'm an innately happy person, I still love a sad country song." Her debut EP reflects this duality, balancing upbeat defiance with heartfelt vulnerability.
With The Wild West, Rose establishes herself as a compelling new voice in country music, drawing from personal experience and a love for the genre's narrative tradition.
