Born in Stratford Upon Avon, Rowland spent his early years growing up in London Islington before the family relocated to Marlborough where he won a music scholarship to Marlborough College at the age of 13. He trained as an actor/ musician and musical director at Rose Bruford College but switched his focus to acting and singing after he graduated. Rowland worked at Nottingham Playhouse, Lancaster Playhouse before landing a musical role in Rosencrantz and Guildernstern are Dead at the Royal National Theatre. He has most notably worked with film and stage directors Steven Pimlott and Matthew Francis. Rowland plays the lead villain Colonel Roderick in the feature film My Pet Dinosaur (2017) directed by Matt Drummond.