Foline Roos

Known for her soulful and theatrical vocal style, Foline Roos has performed in several musical theatre productions and collaborated with other talented jazz artists. She’s known for her performance as Yonah in Stephen Schwartz’s Children of Eden, where Chicago Reader described her rendition of the song “Stranger to the Rain” as “the sound of a star being born.” She also played as Ellenore in Underscore Theatre Company’s original thriller musical, My Name Is Annie King, and as Lamia in Africa & Plumbridge, a musical that won the Best Songwriting award at the 2004 New York International Fringe Festival.
Coached by her father, a former frontman of Public Opinion, Foline started singing at the age of 5. She began her singing career in the Philippines, performing in school programs and local and regional vocal competitions. When she emigrated to Chicago and continued grade school, she was cast in musicals, such as Guys and Dolls, Oklahoma, Once on This Island, and Cabaret. At the age of 11, her first demo received airplay on Chicago’s hip hop radio station, WGCI, and she joined The Happiness Club, a performing arts troupe based in Chicago. Foline spent her late teens recording demos with various producers in Chicago, including Earl Powell, who is best known for his collaboration with singer Jennifer Hudson. It was at this time that Foline first began to develop her talent and passion for songwriting. 
In 2015, Foline continued to explore her own music and collaborated with jazz saxophonist and arranger, Roy McGrath. They formed a band and released a jazz demo that included two original songs that she wrote entitled “Come What May” and “Friends.” They went on to perform live in the South Loop at M Lounge, a hot spot known for housing the most talented blues and soul musicians in Chicago.
In addition to performing arts work, Foline has spent a decade helping people as a registered nurse. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, she took pride in caring for patients living in Chicago’s underserved neighborhoods. 
In 2016, she explored another field in nursing that took her away from the bedside and brought her closer to her patients’ communities. As a case manager, she empowered Medicaid beneficiaries, who lacked access to community resources, with the tools they needed to improve their health outcomes and contribute to society. She continues her role as an educator, providing patients with resources to help them optimize health insurance to achieve wellness.
Foline recently wrote a musical play about the role of nursing and immigration in the American society. She is now working on the launch of its staged production, so stay tuned for updates.