Who is Arbor Rose
I began my creative life in theatre, but music has always been my first love.
For years, I had songs tucked away in a cabinet — pieces of my life that I'd written but never shared with the world.
While working on a new play and writing its music, I rediscovered those songs. Something shifted. I realized it was finally time to give them a life beyond the pages they were written on.
2026 has been an extraordinary journey of learning the music business, recording, and releasing my own music. It's been challenging, exciting, and deeply rewarding.
One of the greatest surprises has been the response to my song More Than Shame. I never expected so many people on Instagram to connect with the painful reality of growing up with a narcissistic parent. Hearing from people who recognize their own experiences in the music has meant more to me than I can express.
Writing this song has also been unexpectedly healing. It has given a voice to experiences I carried for many years, while reminding me of something I learned on my own journey:
We are more than what happened to us.
That is the message at the heart of More Than Shame. Not just the pain of the past, but the courage it takes to move beyond it.
To everyone who has listened, followed, shared, or reached out, thank you. Your support means the world to me.
And if my music speaks to you, you can now support me directly on Bandcamp by purchasing a song. Every purchase helps me continue writing, recording, and bringing new music into the world.
With gratitude,
Arbor Rose 🌹
Listen and support on Bandcamp: https://arborrose.bandcamp.com/track/more-than-shame
Apricot Magazine
Review More Than Shame
More Than Shame
Indie Pop
More Than Shame explores what happens when a person is consumed by anger and the devastation it leaves in its wake. The song reflects the violence, emotional abuse, and shaming that shaped my childhood while touching on the destructive patterns often associated with narcissistic abuse. At its heart, however, this is not a song about the abuser—it is about survival and healing. After years of recovery, I was finally able to let go of the burden of carrying someone else's rage and insanity. The song ultimately becomes one of empowerment, recognizing that true freedom came from loving myself enough to walk away from abuse. In the end, forgiveness wasn't about excusing what happened—it was about refusing to let it define my life any longer.
"Songs about courage reclamation and hope"
About Arbor Rose
Cinematic Indie Songs.
Blending piano, and evocative vocals, her songs like Mother and One Moment In Time; explore themes of resilience, reclamation & hope. Arbor Rose creates music that feels both intimate and expansive.
Her work combines cinematic rock arrangements, creating songs that invite listeners into moments of reflection, reclamation, and hope.
Alongside her music career, Arbor Rose is developing The Reckoning, an original musical exploring themes of secrets and acceptance, a production that brings together songwriting and storytelling into a larger artistic vision.