New Music
New For '19
New Music: Estère
We're shining a spotlight on the best up and coming New Zealand artists set to dominate 2019. Meet Wellington artist Estère crafting her unique brand of electric blue witch hop.
Ticketmaster New Music is your one-stop destination to discover the best emerging live acts before they explode. These are the artists we’re expecting to make waves in the live music scene, and we want you to know about them first.
Wellington-bred producer Estère isn’t a new artist on the block by any means, but the trajectory she has been on throughout 2018 has set her up for, what we’re sure is set to be, a world-dominating 2019.
Controlling every aspect of her creative process, Estère is a singer, songwriter, rapper, engineer, musician, mixer and dancer. And with her MPC by her side (an instrument she fondly calls Lola) she crafts stunning pieces of music, that she self-describes as Electric Blue Witch-Hop – electric for the electronic component, blue because that’s the colour she sees when she plays music, and witch alluding to the type of magic she feels comes from music in general.
Her sound is a stunning blend of soul, jazz, funk, and hip hop beats, wrapped up in gorgeous production and led by her incredible vocal. Throughout, she incorporates unusual samples like the hiss of Vietnamese bamboo trees, the crash of a cutlery drawer, or the clicking tongue of a possum – further enhancing the intrigue behind Estère as an artist.
Her latest album My Design, On Others’ Lives arrived in two parts. The first half– separated by the comma in the title – was released in 2017, the second revealed mid-2018. Each half packing more layers and storytelling into its 20 minutes than most artists utilise across a full album.
Following her album’s release, 2018 saw Estère take her music to stages around the world, score a nomination for Best Producer at the NZ Music Awards, and follow it all up with the release of a new single Tokoloshe. With more new music expected in 2019, we’re certain Estère is on track to take over the world.
Essential Listening
Estère – Ambition
Telling the tale of U.S. Presidential hijacker and Bordello resident, Magdelaine Lavirgin, who wanted to be the United States President. The video is equally as stunning – a striking visual display of femininity, power, and ambition shared through dance.
Estère – Rent
Following the release of this single Estère explained, “As a human being it can sometimes feel like what we have achieved is overshadowed by what we haven’t. Rent is an ode to the greatness of personal triumphs, and a finger to whatever it is that gets in the way of us claiming ownership of our accomplishments.”
Estère – Tokoloshe
The first single since her album’s release, featuring NZ/Rwandan hip hop artist Raiza Biza. The track refers to the mischievous and evil African folklore figure of the ‘Tokoloshe’.
Check out the rest of our New For ’19 feature artists here.
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