Ethereal Australian Singer/Songwriter, Erin (formerly known as Esmé) recently released her unguarded lullaby Still (B side). Introduced by the nostalgic click of a tape player, the soulful piece produced by Ken Allars immediately thrusts the listener into her dreamscape sound, for a contemplation of stillness that organically grew into a heartbreaking love story. The unguarded lullaby highlights the poetry of her lyrics which drive an effortless yet intricate melodic structure, carried by her unique airy voice over chords that are subtly reminiscent of her background in jazz.
Tell us a bit about your story: who are you and what has your journey looked like so far? I guess my journey in music really did start at a young age with my voice. I’m from a family of 8 children and we were all homeschooled for the most part of our schooling for me and my two older sisters. We had a plethora of old music available at home. I really was drawn to jazz, Ella, Billie and Chet Baker, singers like that.
We had some family tragedies early in life that saw me living out of home and not finishing school at 16, I guess that’s when the real journey in music began and music became my source of income as a singer in a little restaurant in northern Queensland (in Australia). As I grew older and moved to Sydney, I discovered more and more sounds and people and styles, which led me to songwriting and trying new things, it’s led me to now.
Who inspires you musically and creatively? First of these jazz singers, Ella Fitzgerald & Billie Holiday. Growing up in the belting singer era, they were who I was drawn to and emulated as much as I could. Now I’m deeply inspired by artists that are sort of genre free like Moses Sumney, FKA twigs and Saya Gray.
What is the creative process behind your track, Still (B side)? I wanted to isolate my voice, really sort of create an intimate space sonically and visually for the listener. The track is layers of horns, synths and electric guitar, the vocals are just very bare and sort of like a lullaby floating over the top. It almost feels unaccompanied. We tracked the vocals live to the instrumental and that’s really all it was. Just a moment to be understated and deliver the song in a very natural way vocally. What’s the best advice you’ve received during your journey? Do not be afraid to change direction. How do you nurture your creativity? This is constant for me. I voice memo lyrics and melodies all day, I read poetry and watch very cinematic movies, old and new. I think about people and their lives, I explore different sounds in production and I take my time in delivering my work to the world. What do you hope this song will reveal to your listeners? I hope it reveals to them that even if it feels like all is lost, put up a fight, whether it’s for yourself and not giving up, or for love or friendship or hope. Still try, still love, still grow. Are there any upcoming shows or projects we can look forward to? Yes, the shows are starting to come to realisation, but with this new music I am careful about how I perform it, and where. I’m working on something special as I launch this new project. The music however will be trickling out all year! I’ve got so much after the lockdowns that I’m bursting to share and that’s not far away! Is there any advice you want to give to new artists? Failure is the greatest teacher and the only way you get to prove to yourself who you are and what you can be. Don’t be afraid of how you’re received or how you might fail in music, don’t hold onto things forever. Release the music, let it go and keep evolving! Connect with Erin