How much of our lives, have so many of us (if not all of us!) spent worrying about what people think.. worrying about being judged.. being concerned about our true selves being discovered only to be rejected..
New Zealand born and US based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, Estella Dawn weaves her exploration of social messages into her music and uses her songs as an avenue to express what it is that she wants to share with the world.
Compared with the likes of Christina Aguilera, Madison Beer, Halsey, Rihanna and Pink, Estella blends the soft and mellow with the edgy, to build a powerful story within her songs.
During the pandemic year of 2020, Estella used the time to hone and develop her craft, releasing a new track every six weeks, with a total of 10 tracks shared with the world.
Estella Dawn’s latest track ‘Vixen’ has been designed as an anthem for feeling comfortable in your own skin.. It’s about putting aside the insecurities relating to subjects such as sexuality, your desires, your weight or your body shape and feeling completely free to be you.
“I think there’s a lot of pressure on people to present themselves in a proper, gentle and socially acceptable way and because of this people often feel the need to hide their sexual diversity and desires. Sometimes only feeling safe to truly express themselves in closeted or underground environments, even when there’s a risk of being “discovered” and shamed.”
‘Vixen’ is an unapologetic and sexy song, which will have you singing along in no time!
You can listen to ‘Vixen’ below:
Would you like to start by telling us a little about yourself?
Hi, I’m Estella Dawn, a New Zealand born US based songwriter, singer, multi instrumentalist and producer.
I create predominantly in the pop genre and I have a flair for story like lyrics and strong/gritty vocals.
Having released 14 singles since 2020 I’m currently producing a full length album recorded in the studio with a live band that is due to be released in the Spring of 2022.
As with any high output artist I’ll be releasing another single “Salt” in January of 2022.
I’m on a mission to live my best life and make music that encourages others to do so too.
What was it that first inspired you to begin a career in music?
It may sound a touch cliche but I don’t remember ever deciding to write music, it’s just something I’ve always done.
When I was a little kid I would make up nonsense songs that I would sing to myself (and whoever else was around me) for hours on end and as I got older they just got a little more refined and structured.
I was definitely encouraged to keep at it in school and my family has also been incredibly supportive throughout my musical journey which has pushed me to keep going.
How would you describe the feel of your music?
It depends a little on the track, but I would say for the most part my music is quite lyrically and vocally driven.
My songwriting style is upfront and honest but in a storyteller, imagery based, kind of way.
You have recently released your single, ‘Vixen’.. what was the inspiration behind the creation of this track?
It was my way of shedding my own fears around the sexualization of my body.
The song relates to feeling comfortable in your own skin.. what does it mean to you, to feel truly comfortable in your own skin?
Expressing yourself in ways that feel authentic to you regardless of what others might think about it.
I was a really shy kid, I remember not wearing color for years because I was so afraid to stand out.
When I let go of the anxiety, the fear of being judged, it felt like I could finally breathe.
I think that’s what being comfortable in your own skin looks like and I truly hope everyone gets to feel it at some point in their life, sooner than later!
What did the creative process look like for ‘Vixen’?
I wrote the lyrics for Vixen in a phone note around 2 years ago, then fast forward to 6 months ago, I was playing around in a Logic project making instrumental music, the vibe was quite sultry and moody, so I flicked through my phone notes looking for something that might fit and my Vixen lyrics popped out.
I then proceeded to tweak and mesh the two together and now you can hear its final form.
The bridge did have quite a few rewrites, I couldn’t quite crack the melodic phrasing, but I tweaked the lyrics and everything fell into place.
The most important part to me was the vocal delivery, I needed to be in the right mindset, so that when I sang I had the right amount of confidence and sass.
Where do you find your inspiration for your music?
I think you find inspiration anywhere you go, I often find songs will pop up randomly.
For example, I dropped my friend at the airport the other day and wrote almost an entire song on the drive back, I couldn’t tell you why, my brain just decided that a 5am car ride was the right environment to birth a song.
You have a full length album in the works.. what can we expect to hear within your album?
It’s definitely a little different stylistically from other tracks I’ve put out.
It was my first time recording with a full band so it has a different feel.
There will still be electronic elements but it will be more of a blend of pop, electronic and contemporary music.
In terms of the songs themselves they span quite a few different topics, there’s a few love songs, a few break up tunes and everything in-between, mostly upbeat in feel though.
What would you like to see happen for you in your music from here?
I’m really just aspiring to create music that resonates with people, music has personally helped me through many different periods of my life so I’d love to be able to do the same for someone else.
And from a purely selfish point of view I’d like to build a stable and sustainable career for myself doing something that I love!
What is one message you would like to share with your fans?
Thank you so much for all of your support, I like to think I would still make music regardless of whether anyone ever heard it but your constant reassurance and kindness pushes me to keep going.
Where can people find your music?
My music is free to stream from my website. www.estelladawn.com
It’s also on most streaming platforms.
Karen Harding is a Melbourne, Australia based singer/songwriter, founder of Sounds On The Couch, and founder and operator of boutique music PR service for emerging and independent artists, Rise Indie.