Rozanne Gewaar sings quiet observations of the human spirit, our relations and our struggles. She spent her childhood years in Knysna, South Africa, where she would wander along the Knysna lagoon, humming stories to herself. Her student years in Port Elizabeth brought songs of the ocean, the sky, flying, loving, laughing, and language. She currently finds inspiration in the American Midwest, with its wide skies, everflowing highways and the open hearts of people who love freely.

Early Days

 As a little girl, Rozanne wrote poems for her dolls. She sang, she daydreamed, she wrote. Although she was often drawn to the stage during her school years, she kept songwriting close to her heart. During her university days, her poetry was confined to the margins of accounting and computer science papers.  

Finding a Voice

After moving to the United States, for what was expected to be a temporary work assignment, Rozanne decided that it was time to do something with her big 'file o' songs'. Someone had to sing them - but who?  Perhaps, she thought - perhaps if she put together a demo, she could send that to singers and find homes for her 'children'. She reached out to friend and artist Maery Lanahan for voice lessons, and slowly started seeking out performance opportunities. Her first open mic was at a small club called Peaches, in Dayton, Ohio. From here, she started doing the rounds at coffee houses in the area.  Audiences commented at her unique and expressive delivery, and she found that she truly enjoyed performing. The plan had changed!

Today, Rozanne regularly tries out new songs at venues such as the Gallery Cabaret in Chicago. She has self-published an EP, "Voel Jou", and is currently working on a full-length CD in collaboration with South African cellist Francois le Roux.  A demo CD, "Songs from Church Street", snuck in early 2012.  There is no rush to her work.  There is no commercial need. Hers is a gentle art - one that flows with the heart, with the ebb and tide of late night longing, and with the love for country and friends that stays steady through the decades.