Q&A: Rosemary Joaquin on Queer Heartbreak, Healing, and Her Fearlessly Candid New EP
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
NASHVILLE INDIE-POP BREAKOUT ROSEMARY JOAQUIN returns with her most emotionally candid and sonically adventurous body of work yet: the brilliantly titled Please Don’t Listen To This. Known for her velvety vocals, razor-sharp humor and unapologetically queer storytelling, Rosemary has built an online community that sees themselves in her flirty, chaotic and deeply heartfelt worldview.
The new EP explores the messy, funny, and devastating corners of her first queer heartbreak - spanning guilt, nostalgia, delusion and ultimately, liberation. From the viral mock–boyband fantasy of “Calvin Klein” to the tender self-discovery of “The Girl” and the comedic chaos of fan-favorite “Flirt With Women,” Rosemary captures every stage of letting go with honesty and undeniable charm.
With Please Don’t Listen To This out now, Rosemary opened up to us about writing through heartbreak, rebuilding her identity, creating with her queer community and why she hopes these songs help at least one heartbroken baddie dance their way into the next chapter.
LUNA: “Please Don’t Listen To This” is such a bold and self-aware title—it almost feels like a dare. What inspired that name, and how does it capture the emotional arc of the EP?
JOAQUIN: I wrote a good amount of this EP about a breakup, and although the breakup was amicable, I still knew the songs would only be from my perspective and, like all art, drift a little from the truth. She wouldn’t have the chance to share her side. What made it harder was that she’d always been such a big fan of my music—my biggest cheerleader—and the thought of her listening to these songs made me sad. I think that’s part of why so many of the tracks may even lean in her favor—so if she does ever listen, she’ll hear the love and respect I still have for her.
LUNA: You’ve said this project came out of your first queer heartbreak. What did writing about that experience teach you about yourself, both as a person and as an artist?
JOAQUIN: I’ve never felt more inspired than when I was writing these songs—that’s the one silver lining of a breakup. Sonically, we blended pop with organic textures, playful vocal chants, and little moments that sound exactly like me—the way I actually talk—so everything feels authentic. Artistically, this EP really solidified my sound.
On a personal level, I learned that it’s okay to still have love for your ex, but you can’t have it both ways—you can’t break up with someone and still keep them in your life. Writing this project gave me space to get all my real but slightly delusional breakup thoughts out so I could finally face reality and accept that it was over.
LUNA: How do you find the balance between vulnerability and playfulness in your songwriting?
JOAQUIN: This is a balance that I think a lot of artists work a long time to find. I’ve been inspired by artists who share vulnerable experiences through a more lighthearted, playful lens. Sabrina Carpenter is one example—so many of her songs are hilarious, but they’re also about real breakups and painful moments. I’ve found that my songs take on emotions of their own. “The Girl” is one of the most emotional and vulnerable songs I’ve ever written, but it still feels cohesive alongside something like “Calvin Klein,” where I sing about keeping my ex’s belongings because they “had to be mine.”
LUNA: The “Calvin Klein” video went viral for its mock 2000s boyband concept. What inspired that idea, and what was it like bringing together such a powerful group of queer creatives for it?
JOAQUIN: The idea actually started as a joke. When I was writing “Calvin Klein,” it just sounded like a 2000s boyband track. I thought—what if we leaned into the drama and created a fake boyband made up entirely of queer artists? It felt like the perfect way to play with gender norms and flip the script: queer women performing the kind of choreographed, over-the-top love songs we grew up watching boybands sing.
We even made a whole second song and group name—Boys Like Us—and released “Roommates.” Not only was that track a blast to make, but it created this fun lore around “Calvin Klein.”
LUNA: On the title track, you mention feeling guilty about being the only one who gets to tell your side of the story. How do you navigate that tension between honesty in your art and respect for real people involved?
JOAQUIN: This was my first breakup, so I was feeling everything at once—and honestly, I felt guilty about being excited to feel so inspired. Before writing anything else, I wrote the intro track, and it was my way of getting all the fear and guilt out. It made me realize the music wasn’t just about telling the story—it was also about healing. It was like journaling; if I could get the mess out of my head and turn it into a song, maybe I could finally feel okay again.
LUNA: Songs like “28” and “The Girl” touch on nostalgia and self-discovery in really beautiful ways. When you listen back now, what moments or emotions stand out to you most?
JOAQUIN: My ex’s 28th birthday was the day our breakup fully sank in. I was consumed by how weird and sad it felt. I’d celebrated that day four years in a row—it practically felt like a holiday—and suddenly it was nothing. Those dates—anniversaries, birthdays—they don’t just disappear when you break up.
“The Girl” feels like an open letter. I had realized that even though my ex wasn’t “the one,” she was the person who helped me find myself.
LUNA: “Flirt With Women” has already become a fan favorite—why do you think that song resonates so deeply?
JOAQUIN: Because it’s literally just me being clueless. I was newly single, out with my friends, and had no idea how to flirt with women. So instead of figuring it out, I wrote a song about it. It became a crowd favorite on tour before it was even released. At each stop, I’d say a bad pickup line—like “Are you from the Big Apple… because I wanna take a bite outta you.” Fans loved it and even sent me pickup lines for each city.
LUNA: How does your online community influence your creative process?
JOAQUIN: I’m so proud of the community I’ve built online. They get my humor, my music, my queerness—and that makes creating feel safe. I don’t feel pressured to chase trends. My audience reminds me to keep leaning into what makes me, me. They’re a big part of why I trust the path I’m on.
LUNA: Looking ahead, what does the next chapter of Rosemary Joaquin sound like?
JOAQUIN: I’m so excited to write this next chapter. It feels like a really special moment, and I’m proud of the momentum this EP has built. All I can say is: keep your eyes and ears open—there’s so much more coming.
