Meet Samantha Nimerov of Mountain Rose in Boulder

Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Nimerov.

Samantha, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up as an only child in a suburb outside of Chicago. I spent the majority of my time daydreaming, making art and writing songs in my head. My parents exposed me to a lot of great music at a young age including blues, classic rock, reggae and old soul. They gifted me my first guitar for my 14th birthday and from there I holed up in my room on the weekends writing songs. I remember being beyond excited to enter high school so that I could explore music more through different groups and extracurricular activities. My freshman year I auditioned for all of the singing groups and a musical and was rejected from all of them. The specific feedback I was given was that my voice just wasn’t “feminine enough.” I was absolutely crushed. I had been so excited to explore my love of music and spend time with like-minded people that when the doors closed in my face, I convinced myself I had to let music go; that I was too different and just not good enough to participate.

A few years later I made a friend who encouraged me to submit to the annual talent show. He volunteered to play guitar and we decided to perform “I Hate Myself for Loving You” by Joan Jett. If you don’t know that song, its straight Rock n’ Roll with a healthy dose of attitude. That experience was incredibly liberating, and helped to restore my confidence in my voice and talent as a performer. The drummer who played with us ended up inviting me to sing with his other band, a rock band, and through time spent with them I realized that my voice did indeed have a place in music.

Since then I’ve been working on carving my own path as a vocalist and musician. I spent a year in Nashville attending Belmont University, a music school, before following my heart to Colorado in 2010.

My band, Mountain Rose, formed organically through my friendship and musical relationship with Boulder native Thomas Holum. We put together a duo and played cover songs at restaurants and bars. We brought on a base player for one of our early shows at Illegal Pete’s, and gained the attention of another local guitarist. The band started to grow and we switched from focusing on covers to working on original material. After a year and a half, I feel like we have finally found the perfect mix of musicianship and personalities that make Mountain Rose so fun and dynamic. We are currently working on our first EP which will be released soon. We have had wonderful opportunities to perform around Boulder, including a few shows at The Fox Theater. I could not be more grateful to be making music with these guys and look forward to what’s next for Mountain Rose!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
After that initial rejection came in high school I experienced a lot of doubt as to whether there was a place for me in the music world at all. Even as I began to recognize that my uniqueness was actually a strength, pressure from my family and society to lead a more stable life were enough to keep me from fully believing that I could make it as a musician.

After leaving Belmont I transferred to CU Boulder and for a while, found myself wrestling with two competing urges. Do I take advantage of my academic aptitude and become a “successful professional”? Or do I follow my heart and inspiration and commit myself to music and performance. After college I definitely forced myself into a number of jobs that sounded promising but didn’t light my heart up because I felt like I “should”.

My biggest lesson learned in life thus far is that I am the best version of myself when I make decisions from the heart. I followed my instincts and am now able to give myself to music while also working at a fun taco spot. I get to meet awesome people, make great connections, and build my sense of community.

Aside from my own inner struggle as to which path to take, Mountain Rose went through its own dark time before blossoming into the harmonious, healthy band we are today. It comes as no surprise that the music industry can be stressful and egos can clash. Two of the original members ended up leaving the band at the end of last summer, and we spent a little time in limbo before welcoming in our two newest bandmates. It’s true what they say, sometimes what you have needs to fall apart so that something even better can be built in its place.

Please tell us about your music.
We refer to Mountain Rose as a Rock n’ Soul band. While we are all deeply rooted in rock, blues, jazz, reggae, and Americana, I really appreciate that each band member has their own style and flair and approaches the music in a slightly different way. One of the coolest feelings in the world is when I bring a new song to the band and try to explain what I hear in my head. “And here it’s like bah BAH doo doo, STOP!” And not only to these guys pick up on what I’m getting at, they go above and beyond and elevate it to the next level. I am in awe of them every time we play, and so grateful we get to create together.

As far as what sets us apart from other bands, I believe there is something to be said for how our music is both unique and familiar. With the rock/blues influence and then aspects of reggae, soul, and jazz, there is something innovative yet heartwarming about our songs. I also take great care when writing my lyrics. I channel my feelings into these words and want to make sure my point comes across clear and strong. A lot of my frustration about injustices in the world end up in our music, and it’s tremendously cathartic. So, I think our original music combined with the energy we bring onstage is what keeps people coming back for more. When I perform on stage, I experience this all-consuming bliss; and my overall hope is that I can somehow transfer that feeling to the people in the crowd. For me, when I go to a show and am having a great experience it feels like coming home to myself. There is a feeling of inner validation, inner alignment that is so euphoric and magical. That’s what I want to offer people. This lockdown has really opened my eyes and made it abundantly clear that music is my soul’s language. It is what I have and what I NEED to give to this world. I have never had more appreciation or reverence for the opportunity to bring people together and empower them through a shared musical experience. It’s an honor and a privilege and I think I can speak for the whole band when I say we are so grateful to do what we do.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
That’s a good (and tough) question! Honestly, I don’t look at things that way anymore. I think we all have a purpose here in this lifetime and that inspiration and excitement are indicators that you are on the right path. It has become glaringly obvious to me over the course of my life that when I make a decision because it “makes the most sense” or checks the right boxes, things go wrong or I end up really unhappy. The best decisions of my life have made zero sense outwardly, but my gut or heart or spirit was calling out so loudly that I had to take the risk. I finally accept that it’s just how I am built and am meant to navigate my life. Bypassing my intuition is no longer an option for me, which is why it’s so important that I surround myself with people who trust and respect me; and vice versa!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mountainroseband.com/
• Email: mountainrosebooking@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mountain_rose_music/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mountainrosemusic/

Image Credit:
Charla Harvey Photography

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