Rosie Westbrook

Biography

Rosie’s new album Always the Sea is a collection of ethereal, hypnotic, constantly moving and meticulously structured musical narratives, created from a rich palette of sounds and effects plucked and bowed on her trademark double bass and ringing guitars.

Rosie released her first two solo albums Wave in 2003 and
Big as the Ocean in 2007, receiving critical acclaim and establishing her compositional style with its filmic and emotive qualities.

“Her work is incredibly evocative, spatially resonant, full of movement and drift. Her compositions allow us to dream…”
– Victoria Lynn, Director, TarraWarra Museum of Art

As a composer for film and television, Rosie’s work includes: 

Soundtracks for ABCTV Artscape film series profiling Australian artists including Lindy Lee, Jon Cattapan, Del Kathryn Barton and Patricia Piccinini.

Music for The Nice House, a short film about Rosie Batty.

Soundtrack for short film The Fox in 2016.

2020 commission to write music for Waterline, part of an environmental film project for Bass Coast Shire

Her work as a bassist with countless contemporary Australian music artists has included:

Sean Kelly (Models)

Mick Harvey (PJ Harvey; ex-Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds)

Rob Snarski (Blackeyed Susans)

Spencer P. Jones (Spencer P. Jones & The Holy Spirits; Beasts of Bourbon)

From 2006-13 she toured extensively throughout Europe as bassist with Mick Harvey, leading to collaborations with international artists including: 

Thomas Wydler (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds)

Kim Deal (Pixies)

Amaury Cambuzat (Ulan Bator/Faust)

Beate Bartel (Mania D, Einstürzende Neubauten, Liaisons Dangereuses, Matador). 

Rosie has also developed a solo performance practice based on responding to visual art, creating live music installations for exhibitions at galleries including: 

TarraWarra Museum of Art (VIC)

University of Queensland Art Museum

Heide Museum of Modern Art (VIC)

A series of commissions to create music for works produced by the Australian Tapestry Workshop and as Artist in Residence in 2019.

Classically trained in guitar and double bass, Rosie has played in orchestras, chamber ensembles, theatrical productions.