esmerelda, the alt-pop artist hailing from London, releases her new single ‘Jenny’, co-produced by BROOKFIELD (Charli XCX, Anne Marie) and electronic artist Sølv. ‘Jenny’ follows previous single ‘I’m Not A Princess I’m A God’ and is the second single to be taken from esmerelda’s concept EP ‘medusa was innocent’ set for release early 2022. 

‘Jenny’ opens with deceptive energetic electro-beats, bright handclaps and a seductive vocal. As the narrative evolves, the buoyant mood is enveloped by buzzing basslines and sinister synths to reveal a foreboding darkness to this deeply atmospheric record. 

esmerelda said about the single “Jenny is a song about being possessed by demons – literally or figuratively, it’s up for interpretation….in many ways it’s based on me. I wrote it at a time where I was pretty overwhelmed and anxious. I had a lot of things I wanted to achieve, so I was experiencing this manic confidence. There are these 2 voices talking to ‘Jenny’ throughout the song; the voice of her friends and family, telling her to watch her step and look after herself, then the voice of the demons telling her to press the self-destruct button on her own life. I haven’t decided if she’s evil by the end of the song, or whether she finds a home between the two forces, but it definitely ends in a powerful transformation.”

esmerelda is 23-year-old British-Afghan artist, songwriter and producer AKA Charlotte Samady. The artist released her debut EP ‘Nostalgia’ in 2018 under the moniker LUNA, which garnered support from the likes of BBC Introducing London, Earmilk, CLOUT and Spotify’s ‘New Pop Revolution’ playlist. Since then, the artist has evolved sonically to stamp her mark on the music scene as esmerelda, using conceptual worlds to dissect her experiences, and provide an escapist outlet for herself and her listeners to process feelings of isolation and heartbreak.

What’s your story as an artist? 

I grew up in London listening to loads of ‘noughties’ pop and R&B music like Destiny’s Child and Britney Spears. But there was also a great local indie rock scene in the part of London I lived in, so blending those influences, I started out making indie pop music, and I did that for a while as a teenager. But all this changed when I was 18 and got my first job in music at an electronic record label. I did a complete 180 in my time there, and knew I wanted to write slightly more left-of-field, electronic tracks. I’ve always been a drama queen, so I started playing around with writing music to concept. And now I’m independently releasing my second project!

What inspired this last release?

‘Jenny’ was written at a time where I was feeling pretty anxious and overwhelmed, but I had loads I wanted to accomplish, so I was trying to push through with this slightly manic confidence. In a lot of ways, it’s an autobiographical song, but I pushed the concept to the extreme. I ended up basing it around a storyline of a girl being possessed by demons. Literally, or metaphorically; that bit is up for interpretation!

What are some sources of inspiration for your storytelling?

Writing to concept means I get to write multiple songs around an idea or character. This isn’t always super rigid, the concept can be quite loose, but I find it really fun to tie tracks together under an overall story. So I look for inspiration in other artists that have done that, from David Bowie to Lorde to Frank Ocean. I’m also a very visual person, so when I’m writing, I’ll be scrolling through pictures or videos relating to the story I’m writing about, for inspiration about the mood of the production, or the imagery in the lyrics!

Any funny anecdotes from the time you were recording or writing this?

Well – one funny fact about this track is that I started recording it a couple months before the first lockdown, and took what I thought was going to be a ‘quick break’ from studio sessions to finish my university dissertation, and then the pandemic hit. So I guess the joke was on me there, because that totally derailed the project for a little bit!

What’s a record that shaped your creativity?

LP1 by FKA Twigs completely changed the way I look at music. She was on the label I worked for at 18 (Young, formerly Young Turks Records). When I first heard that record, her approach to narrative just flicked a switch in my brain. Not to mention the atmospheric soundscapes in her production. LP1 played a big part in encouraging me towards more electronic sounds. She’s been a big influence for me since then.

Who is an artist or band you look up to today?

Beyond FKA Twigs, I really love Rina Sawayama at the moment. Her music is incredible – again, very stylised and conceptual. She writes a lot about being mixed race, which being mixed-race myself I can really connect to. But over the last year we’ve also got to see that she really stands up for what she believes in, with her campaign to make non-UK born citizens eligible for the BRIT Awards. I think it’s really important to advocate for better representation in the industry, so I look up to her in that way too.

Any future projects?

Absolutely – ‘Jenny’ and my last single ‘I’m Not A Princess I’m A God’ are the first two tracks from a concept EP I’m working on based around Mythology and more specifically, the character of Medusa. This is due in early 2022 and there may be another single on the way even sooner!

What is your view on genres and music styles since you mix a lot of them in your music?

I think more and more we’re moving to a place where the boundaries of each ‘genre’ are becoming less rigid. There’s so much music out there – it’s only natural to be influenced by different sounds. And there’s some really fresh new music coming out because of these shifts. I really love pop music, and I’d call my genre pop, but I also love electronic music and indie music, and I’m not afraid to bring elements of all of them into my sound. 

What does music and art mean to you?

Well, writing music is the only way I’ve ever felt able to express myself, and I just love telling stories people might relate to. I think we’ve seen over the pandemic just how much our favourite artists (musical and otherwise) have kept us all going through this huge global challenge. It’s such a source of good and of comfort for people, and it’s really amazing to be in this place where I’m consuming other artists’ music, and also contributing something to the music scene in my own small way. 

How would you describe your act in one word?

Melodramatic!