Caleb Rosehardt, known artistically as Rosehardt, is a versatile singer, rapper, and songwriter who melds hip-hop, vintage R&B, and pop into his distinctive musical style. Born in San Francisco, Rosehardt was steeped in a rich artistic environment from a young age, setting the stage for his creative pursuits.

Upon moving to New York City for college, he partnered with Le’Asha Julius to form the rap duo Quincy Vidal, garnering considerable acclaim for their projects. As a solo performer, Rosehardt has been prodigious, releasing multiple albums such as How Are You?, How Are You, Vol. 2, and Songs in the Key of Solitude, all of which received enthusiastic reviews.

Returning from a substantial break, Rosehardt is excited about his new album, the world gets smaller each day it seems to shrink, which is currently available, as it highlights his evolution with introspective lyrics, compelling vocals, and innovative production techniques.

He spoke with BET.com about how the Bay Area shaped his artistry.

“Growing up, I always listened to 102.9 KBLX every day on the way to school. The station played a lot of '70s, '80s, and '90s music. I was in middle school in the early 2000s and all that music influenced me,” Rosehardt remembered. “I think that's especially apparent in the last song on the album 'Tell Me How You Fight the Wilderness Alone.' That's a song that I've always wanted to make because it was almost directly influenced by some of the stuff I heard on KBLX. I'll always love that place. I know it's not the same anymore. But that shaped me and it shaped who I am entirely. It just lives in me in a spiritual way.”

Following his hiatus, Rosehardt made a striking return with the track “808 SHIMMY,” which premiered on BET Soul on May 10. The song is a reflection of his thoughts on the world's constraints and is currently available on all platforms He elaborated on the challenges that influenced his break from music.

“The break sort of just happened. For the past two years, I tried to make music but nothing was really sticking. I think it is a little bit because this record that's about to come out, took about six years and I was just like a lot of making music, trying to fit it together into something like an album. I was redoing things, writing new things, and having experiences. So the time between ‘How Are You Volume Two,’ and this one feels like a blink of an eye for me.”

On“Baby Love,” a collaboration with Masego, Rosehardt explores the nuances of relationships and love's complexities.

“So in 2018, I did a color show and Masego saw it. He DM me, and he told me that he liked my music. He said, 'If you're in LA just hit me up.' Not long after that, I had a trip planned for LA and I hit him up,” he recounted. “We had a session and we made some cool stuff over the next two years. When he came to New York, I joined in on a session with him that was great. In January before COVID hit, I made the demo for 'Baby Love.'”

Beyond music, Rosehardt is also an established actor. He made his Broadway debut in 2019 in Tarell Alvin McCraney's Tony-nominated “Choir Boy” and has appeared in HBO’s “Betty” and “Judas & The Black Messiah.” Currently, he stars in “Enemy of the People” on Broadway. He discussed the intersection of his musical and acting careers. 

“My mother, who was a dancer, dance professor, and an actor, put me in the arts right away. The ones I clung to the most were acting and music so they've always sort of been in the same boat,” he noted. “I've always had the same amount of passion for both. It’s always shifting. Lately, acting has been how I make a living, which I'm grateful for.”

Without question, Rosehardt remains committed to making a lasting impact through his work.

“I want people to appreciate the work as a whole because albums are really important to me. Nowadays, I feel like they're losing their importance because the name of the game these days is to go viral, or what can be the hot thing that brings the biggest return,” he emphasized. “I want my music to relate to a feeling or an experience you had when you first heard it so that when you hear it 10 years from now.”