The beautiful songster is actually a tropical girl. Born to a Guyanese-Surinamese-Barbadian father, and a mother of German extraction. Onika Rollins, stage named Onirose, bloomed in sunny Guyana before making Barbados and Germany her home. Onirose is an anagram which combine her first and last name. The alias, like her heritage, is a mesh of significance.
IAQ: You have a very diverse background, tell us more about it?
Oni Rose: Well, I am from Guyana, Suriname and Barbados. My papa is from Suriname. He was a trader so he travelled frequently to Guyana and Brazil and that's how he met my mother, she is from Guyana. My mothers family is actually from Germany. That's my story.
IAQ: Where did you grow up?
Oni Rose: I was born in Guyana but i grew up between Guyana and Suriname. We eventually moved to Germany and then to Barbados.
IAQ: That's amazing. So which country is your favorite?
Oni Rose: You know what, I actually think it's Guyana because the food is so good. But after Guyana it would have to be Germany. Germany is a huge place and there is so much to do there. Then Barbados, because of the ocean but I love them all.
IAQ: So who are your musical influences?
Oni Rose: I gravitate to all sorts of music, except for country. I love Whitney Houston but who doesn’t. I also love Michael Jackson, Bob Marley, Charly Black, Adele, Jessie J and the list goes on. I'm just truly inspired by anyone who creates music.
IAQ: What genre of music does your music fall under? Is it reggae, is it pop?
Oni Rose:It's a bit of pop, dance hall and reggae.
IAQ: So what advice would you give to someone who's aspiring to be a singer, writer or a performer?
Oni Rose: I would say study whatever you're about to tap into. Educate yourself so that when the opportunity arises, and sometimes you have to create the opportunity, you will be ready. Things are not always easy, but you just have to persevere and you have to believe in yourself. Just remember that it's a fight and you have to just claw your way through.