For a small town, Pelham seems to produce a lot of musical talent. Year after year, someone we recall as a 16-year-old in a Sock’n Buskin production finds success on a larger stage. This year it’s Bella Rosado from the Pelham Memorial High School class of 2023, who just released her first single, “Hit and Run,” now streaming on all major platforms.

Bella’s interest in music goes back at least to middle school, where she sang in the chorus and performed in theatrical productions.  She followed those passions in high school as well, performing in Sock ‘n Buskin plays, and appearing in SOOP (Seat of our Pants) productions.

“Being a part of the process for all of those shows and just seeing overall how the music process would evolve and bring all the students together deepened my love for music over time and encouraged me to want to actually pursue a music career in the future,” Rosado recounted.

As for musical inspiration, Rosado credits her parents who shared their love of the Puerto Rican and Cuban music with her. She also credited Maria Abeshouse, the recently retired chorus teacher at PMHS, for helping to shape her talents.

Rosado described the recording of her single as a learning process. “I was not previously aware of the amount of time and effort that goes into it, and now, knowing my appreciation for the art of production and seeing how the music industry works, it has greatly evolved. The team that I have worked with, however, has made this whole entire process seamless, and there has been no point where a ‘stupid question’ has ever been viewed in a negative light.”

Asked about her favorite singer-songwriters, Rosado pointed to Olivia Rodrigo, Gracie Abrams and Adele. “They have this unique ability to write about anything and everything from such a calculated and raw perspective that I have always immensely appreciated, and I’ve tried to replicate,” she said. This influence is palpable in “Hit and Run,” as fans of the above-mentioned artists will hear.

Rosado is working on more singles and hopes eventually to release her own EP.  Trying to break through in the music business can be scary, she said, but the whole process of cutting her own single was immensely rewarding.  Rosado encourages other aspiring young musicians from Pelham to “go for it.”