Exclusive Interview: Rowan Drake Talks “Hollow”, Tapping into His Vulnerability, and More

Rowan Drake is a rising singer-songwriter who has always turned to his craft as a way to transform his feelings into unexpected beauty. Growing up in the small town of Ithaca, New York, the multi-instrumentalist first discovered the power of his gifts after a devasting accident ended his dreams of becoming a professional snowboarder. That led to Rowan’s exploration of his musicality, blending introspection with sonic aesthetic. Since then, he’s connected with millions of listeners around the world with hits including “2 People”, “Hello Little Sister”, and “Closure”. Today, he drops his highly-anticipated new single, “Hollow”. Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Rowan about the release.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Rowan: I was raised in a way that music was closely intertwined into my life. From my dad singing Sarah McLachlan to me for hours as a baby in hopes of putting me to sleep to my mom’s obsession with the Grateful Dead, my house was always alive with music. I believe this instilled a love and passion for music. While I definitely began to entirely give myself to that passion later in life, it was always deeply rooted in me.

PC: Who or what has had the most significant influence on your career?
Rowan: So many people and creatives have influenced my career. My Godfather, Pierce, who tells a story every time he sings with his guitar was a big influence at a young age. Singers such as Elton John and Freddie Mercury who expressed themselves in all outlets also inspired me in great ways. Outside of music, my role models have always combined art with other outlets such as Steve Jobs.

PC: You’ve always been incredibly vulnerable in your craft. Has that always come easy to you?
Rowan: The experiences I faced as a child honestly desensitized me to a lot of my pain and emotion. It allowed me to be incredibly open about things while not feeling them too intensely. Fast forward many years, I surrounded myself with deeply empathic people who allowed me to feel these things again but the part of me that was always so open about them never left. This resulted in a beautiful combination of openness around my pain.

PC: You have a new song out now. Tell us about the inspiration behind “Hollow”.
Rowan: “Hollow” is the expression of love that has gone stale. Through neglect, miscommunication, anger, pain, etc. It highlights the point of a relationship where you are ensnared by all you have given and received, but it has crossed the point of being “healthy”. It now eats you away while simultaneously causing you to grow more attached to the person you care for. It is something I have experienced and in many ways am still experiencing. I hope it can help any who understands it.

PC: Of all the music that you’ve released, if you had to pick one song that best encompasses who you are as an artist, which would it be and why?
Rowan: It would definitely be “Hey Little Sister”. I am growing and changing rapidly as an artist and a human now, and as my most recent release, this song best represents that version of myself.

PC: As we look ahead to the rest of 2022 into 2023, what can fans expect from you?
Rowan: Lots of music…like an amazing amount, both on streaming services but also on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Discord. I plan to really build the world around music and show love to those who are here so early in my journey.

To keep up with Rowan, follow him on Instagram, Spotify, and Apple Music. Listen to “Hollow” today.

Photo Credit: Prime Video