Okotoks singer Brettyn Rose debuts 'The Wild West'

Brettyn Rose's first country song was Kacey Musgraves' "Stupid" — a cynical relationship tune she learned at 13 from her guitar teacher. "It is not an age-appropriate song for a 13-year-old," Rose laughs now, but it offered a crash course in country heartbreak that would shape her own songwriting.

Growing up in Okotoks with parents who loved classic rock, Rose schooled herself in country music after picking up her first guitar at 13. She gravitated toward country's storytelling tradition, the pedal steel and fiddle, and yes — the sad songs too. "Even though I'm an innately happy person, I still love a sad country song," she said.

Earlier this month, Rose released her debut EP, The Wild West, a six-song collection exploring love, loss, and family rupture. The songs were written between 2021 and 2024 — a stretch of major life changes. She fell in love and entered a healthy relationship (which continues), and in fall 2021, her parents suddenly split. "I was fortunate enough to grow up in a happy, healthy household and a very loving family. So that was a little bit of a 'your world is turning upside down'," she said.

The EP opens with "Even Your Mama," a defiant kiss-off: "I don't need ya, had to leave ya, even though your daddy said that I was a keeper." She shifts to tenderness on mid-tempo love ballads "Leavin' on My Lips" and the title track, and closes with the wistful "When I Stop Loving You." Two standout tracks grapple directly with her parents' breakup: the mournful Americana ballad "That Ain't You" and "See It On Her."

Rose holds a degree in psychology and describes herself as a keen observer of human behavior — a natural fit for country songwriting. "I've always felt very deeply that I'm a storyteller and I'm an observer and very analytical," she said. "I think country music is the storytelling genre."

The EP is available now on major streaming platforms. Rose is based in High River.