Latest News/Personal Blog
Better Sound, Big News, and a Hard Goodbye
There’s a lot happening in my life right now. I’m proud of the progress I’m making with my music, happier than I ever thought I could be in my relationship, and facing a goodbye I’ll never be ready for.
I’ve been putting extensive work into improving my sound quality. Balancing the vocals and instrumentation, bringing out details that were getting buried, reducing harshness, and giving the music more space and depth. There’s been a lot of listening, adjusting, comparing, and going back again when something still doesn’t feel right.
The goal is to make my music sound higher quality while preserving the human imperfections that make it beautiful. I want you to hear the words clearly and feel the weight of the instrumentation without either fighting for your attention.
My new Focusrite Solo Studio bundle, 4th Gen, has been a clear upgrade for my setup. I’m also continuing to learn the software that came with it and how to use it effectively in my workflow. There’s a lot to take in, and I’m putting the time into understanding what those tools can actually do for my music.
I’m proud of the improved sound quality I’ve achieved. The clarity, balance, and overall sound are getting closer to what I want them to be. I can hear the work paying off, and that makes me want to keep going.
On September 13, 2026, I got engaged to the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.
I couldn’t possibly feel any luckier. She sees the parts of me I’ve struggled to accept and loves me with them. Our relationship inspired “BAD AT MIRRORS,” and now I get to call the woman behind that song my fiancée. I love her more than I know how to put into a single update.
But alongside all of this, I have to let go of my best friend of the past 12 years.
My dog, Kratos, has reached the end of the line.
Twelve years is a huge part of my life, and it still feels nowhere near long enough. He was family. My best friend. There aren’t words that can make this goodbye feel right, and I wish I had more time with him.
I’ll never forget you, buddy. You were the BEST boy.
Rest in peace, Kratos. I love you. 🖤
Black Rose Dreamer
© 2026 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐 𝕽𝖔𝖘𝖊 𝕯𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖒𝖊𝖗 and Black Rose Records. All rights reserved.
About The Black Rose Dreamer (Contact Form included)
Black Rose Dreamer is where I turn the parts of my life I couldn’t bury into something that finally has a voice.
My music often comes from heartbreak, betrayal, grief, rage, obsession, survival, and the ugly little truths people usually try to hide. Some songs are soft enough to bleed quietly. Some are angry enough to bite back. Either way, everything I make comes from somewhere real.
I tend to move between alt-rock, pop-punk, gothic pop, acoustic confessionals, cinematic darkness, and whatever else the wound demands. I’m not here to make perfect little songs about perfect little feelings. I’m here to take the wreckage, drag it into the light, and make it sing.
My name is Jesse James Smith. Resident and registered sole proprietor in Ontario, Canada, and I am the 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐 𝕽𝖔𝖘𝖊 𝕯𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖒𝖊𝖗🖤🥀