Rowlene, born Rowlene Nicole Bosman, is a South African R&B singer and songwriter recognised for her soulful vocals, emotionally honest songwriting and contemporary approach to R&B, soul and pop.
Born and raised in Elsies River, Cape Town, Rowlene grew up surrounded by gospel, R&B and pop music and began developing her voice through school choirs. She released her debut single “Imposter” in 2015, which helped introduce her to the South African music industry and opened the door to collaborations with some of the country’s leading hip-hop and R&B artists.
At the age of 19, Rowlene relocated from Cape Town to Johannesburg to pursue her music career. Her early collaborations included work with Nasty C, A-Reece, Riky Rick, Gemini Major and Tellaman, helping establish her as a distinctive female voice within South Africa’s contemporary urban music scene.
Her collaboration with Nasty C became an important part of her rise. After appearing on “Phases”, she reached a much wider audience through “SMA (Send Me Away)”, one of Nasty C’s most successful tracks. The pair subsequently collaborated on several releases, including “I Need You,” which featured on the soundtrack of the internationally successful Netflix series Blood & Water.
Rowlene was also one of the first artists signed to Nasty C’s Tall Racks Records, before later returning to her career as an independent artist.
In 2020, she released her debut studio album 11:11, an introspective collection centred around love, heartbreak and relationships. The album earned her a South African Music Award nomination for Best Pop Album, further establishing Rowlene as an artist in her own right.
Her music is characterised by vulnerability and melodic storytelling, often exploring love, heartbreak, healing, independence, personal growth and relationships. Her ability to move naturally between R&B, pop and hip-hop collaborations has made her one of South Africa’s distinctive contemporary female vocalists.
Rowlene continued developing this sound through projects including Moments In Between and the 2025 EP Moments After.
In August 2026, she released her second studio album, Some Strings Attached, her first full-length album in six years. The project sees Rowlene return firmly to contemporary R&B, examining the different relationships and emotional connections that shape our lives — not only romantic relationships, but also friendships, family and the relationship between an artist and her audience.
Her combination of a distinctive vocal tone, sophisticated contemporary R&B sound and strong live presence makes Rowlene an excellent choice for corporate events, gala dinners, lifestyle events, festivals, brand activations and premium contemporary entertainment programmes.
Career Highlights
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- Johannesburg-based R&B singer and songwriter
- Born and raised in Elsies River, Cape Town
- Breakthrough collaborations with Nasty C
- Featured vocalist on the hit “SMA (Send Me Away)”
- Collaborated with Nasty C, A-Reece, Riky Rick, Gemini Major and Tellaman
- One of the first artists signed to Tall Racks Records
- Debut album 11:11 – 2020
- SAMA nomination – Best Pop Album
- Music featured on Netflix’s Blood & Water
- Released Moments In Between
- Released the EP Moments After – 2025
- Released second studio album Some Strings Attached – 2026
- Established contemporary sound spanning R&B, soul, pop and hip-hop
- Experienced live performer for corporate, festival and lifestyle events
