Her overnight success might not come as a surprise to all, as Rosinkranz has been writing songs since she was 8. Filling notebooks and iPads with lyrics, turns of phrase, and poems, the homeschooled artist would spend hours writing lyrics to songs that didn’t exist yet. Sometimes, she’d help her musician father, Ragnar, with melodies and lyrics for songs he’d been tasked to compose for TV shows and ad jingles.
Claire describes her style as alternative blues-pop, equally as inspired by early influences (like The Beatles’ Help!, Frank Ocean, and the Jack Johnson songs the family would listen to around the house) as it is by the singer-songwriter’s contemporaries, like Benee, Bruno Major, and Still Woozy.
Claire traffics in lo-fi songs with intricate yet totally relatable lyrics about friendship, crushes, family, and feelings. They plumb the depths of the human condition in very short bursts, exposing the songwriter’s remarkable emotional maturity and strong, singular grasp on her sound. Narratively, tracks like “Tough Guy” and “Seriouslaaay” follow Claire’s stories from start to finish while Ragnar’s clean, crisp production buoys his daughter’s crystal-clear vocals. “He totally captures my vision and if I don’t like something, I’m not afraid to say it,” Claire says of her dad. “Because we’re able to communicate so well, the process happens so quickly.”
The “star of the show,” Claire says of her catalogue, is “Backyard Boy,” the final song she wrote for the EP and one that grew legs of its own shortly after release, achieving massive viral success all on its own. “I was getting DMs from people telling me that ‘Backyard Boy’ was doing really well on TikTok,” she remembers. “Then, friends started texting me. Then more people were texting me. So I opened TikTok and I had 300,000 videos under the song and realized, “Oh, this is a thing!”
Signing to slowplay/Republic Records in 2020, Claire realized the work and dedication she’d been putting into music for half her life was coming to fruition. In August, she shot the “Backyard Boy” music video but kept things close to the family, as she’s done for years (it’s directed by her uncle, the first AD is her cousin, and close family friends star alongside her onscreen). “I think people are connecting to that song because it’s about a feeling you long for, especially during this time,” she says. “Everyone wants to have this experience but it’s something we can’t have right now because of COVID. But ‘Backyard Boy’ makes you feel like you can.”
Claire has spent a few years drilling down on her craft by refining her songwriting and learning to play instruments like the ukulele, the piano, and the jazz electric guitar (“that’s the one I absolutely enjoy the most,” she says), which have helped her turn her lyrics into fully imagined soundscapes. “I consider myself a writer first and foremost,” she’s quick to note. “I’m super fortunate to be able to sing all my songs, and I want to sing them, but writing is my favorite part of the entire process.”
Hotel
Claire Rosinkranz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My parents think I'm honest, not like everyone else
Like they could catch me in a lie, they say they're able to tell
But I'm partying with my friends at some random hotel
And sneaking out the window on a Sunday night
I'd do it on a Friday, but that's obvious, I
Don't wanna lose my trust, but I do it so well
'Cause I'm partying with my friends at some random hotel
Dow-na-na-na-ba-na-now
Yeah, it's a little fun, stupid, and like really dumb
Pop six pieces of gum before I get home
'Cause we do it so well, yeah
No, they'll never tell
And we're driving a little fast, P.C.H. wastin' my gas
Eating pasta in the back, spilling our minds out
Wish our secrets farewell
They stay in this random hotel
Screaming out songs like there's nobody there
We're seventeen and idiots who play truth or dare
One day I'll write a story that'll sit on a shelf
About me partying with my friends at some random hotel
And sneaking out the window on a Sunday night
I'd do it on a Friday, but that's obvious, I
Don't wanna lose my trust, but I do it so well
'Cause I'm partying with my friends at some random hotel
Dow-na-na-na-ba-na-now
Yeah, it's a little fun, stupid, and like really dumb
Pop six pieces of gum before I get home
'Cause we do it so well, yeah
No, they'll never tell
And we're driving a little fast, P.C.H. wastin' my gas
Eating pasta in the back, spilling our minds out
Wish our secrets farewell
They stay in this random hotel
'Cause we do it so well, yeah
No, they'll never tell
Wish our secrets farewell
They stay in this random hotel
The song “Hotel” by Claire Rosinkranz is about the singer’s experience of keeping secrets from her parents and partying with her friends at a random hotel. She talks about being dishonest and sneaking out of her house on a Sunday night, rather than a Friday, to avoid getting caught. She mentions that her parents think she is honest, compared to other teenagers, but they do not know about her partying habits. She also talks about popping gum and driving fast on Pacific Coast Highway, while eating pasta and spilling her mind out to her friends. The singer wishes that their secrets would stay in the hotel, and she promises to write a story about it one day.
The song highlights the rebel side of teenage life, where they enjoy doing things that are against their parents’ will. The lyrics show that the singer’s experience is relatable to many teenagers, who may also feel the need to keep secrets from their parents in order to enjoy their freedom. The song has a catchy, upbeat tune that makes it enjoyable for a broad audience, and the lyrics are relatable, making it an anthem for teenagers everywhere.
Line by Line Meaning
I keep a lot of secrets to myself
I withhold a lot of personal information from everyone
My parents think I'm honest, not like everyone else
My parents perceive me as an honest person unlike others my age
Like they could catch me in a lie, they say they're able to tell
My parents believe they have the ability to detect when I'm lying
But I'm partying with my friends at some random hotel
I am socializing with my friends at an unfamiliar hotel
And sneaking out the window on a Sunday night
I'm leaving through the window on a Sunday night without anyone noticing
I'd do it on a Friday, but that's obvious, I
I prefer to sneak out on a Sunday to avoid detection, Friday is too obvious
Don't wanna lose my trust, but I do it so well
I don't want to lose people's trust but I am highly skilled at sneaking around
'Cause I'm partying with my friends at some random hotel
I'm attending a party with my friends at an unfamiliar hotel
Yeah, it's a little fun, stupid, and like really dumb
The activity in question is not sensible but it is entertaining
Pop six pieces of gum before I get home
I chew six pieces of gum to mask any suspicious scent before arriving home
'Cause we do it so well, yeah
We are skilled at hiding our activities and avoiding being caught
No, they'll never tell
Our group is not likely to reveal our secrets to anyone else
And we're driving a little fast, P.C.H. wastin' my gas
We are driving at a high speed and consuming a significant amount of gasoline
Eating pasta in the back, spilling our minds out
We are being open with each other about our thoughts while eating pasta in the back of the car
Wish our secrets farewell
We hope our secrets will stay hidden
They stay in this random hotel
Our secrets remain at this unknown hotel
Screaming out songs like there's nobody there
We are singing at the top of our lungs as if no one is around
We're seventeen and idiots who play truth or dare
We are 17-year-olds who often play the game of truth or dare without thinking of the consequences
One day I'll write a story that'll sit on a shelf
I plan to recount the events of my experiences at this hotel and write about them someday
About me partying with my friends at some random hotel
The story will recount how I spent time with my friends at an unknown hotel
'Cause we do it so well, yeah
Our group is particularly skilled at hiding our activities and avoiding detection
We do it so well, yeah
We are skilled at avoiding detection and hiding our secrets
Wish our secrets farewell
We hope our secrets will remain hidden
They stay in this random hotel
Our secrets remain at this unknown hotel
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Claire Rosinkranz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Helixboi
on Backyard Boy
Five, six, seven, eight
Dance with me in my backyard, boy
Looking super fine in your corduroy
Drive me 'round the block
We can go in a loop
And we'll turn the volume up on some
Good boy band tunes
I can feel the fresh air
I can feel your eyes stare
And I'm not gonna lie
I get a little bit scared
My heart is on wings
I'm living in dreams
And at the top of our lungs, we sing
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Everything is perfect
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
All our words were worth it
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Dancing around like a clown at the circus
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Backyard boy, you make me nervous
Dance with me in my backyard, boy
Looking super fine in your corduroy (five, six, seven, eight)
Roll the windows down
Let the base drop low
And everybody's talking
But I don't wanna know
Feel the fresh air
I can feel your eyes stare
And I'm not gonna lie
I get a little bit scared
And my heart is on wings
I'm living in dreams
And at the top of our lungs, we sing
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Everything is perfect
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
All our words were worth it
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Dancing around like a clown at the circus
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Backyard boy, you make me nervous