Essy dropped her EP, “Second Thoughts” over the weekend and it’s incredible. She says, “this EP is a compilation of feelings or moments in time where I felt like I was becoming second in my own life. It’s about learning to take feelings of insecurity and confusion and turn them into a silver lining.” She gave me a track by track recap of each song and what it’s meant to her. Take a listen now.
One: This is a song about taking your power back and finding the confidence within yourself to walk away. I drew a lot of lyrical and production inspiration from Robyn, ARIZONA, and Halsey. I really wanted the song to feel forward-moving, almost like a celebration of not settling for second-best.
Now and Then: Everybody is perfect, until they’re not. This song is about experiencing infidelity in love and learning how to cope with that pain. It was important that the production in this song felt dance-worthy. I wanted the track to be a place where listeners could go to feel empowered even in the middle of grief.
Pulse: I wrote this song with two of my best songwriting friends in Nashville. We went into the room with no expectations but came out of it with something I felt was electric. This song is a reflection of my high school self. It’s about a version of me who was eager to fit in with the cool kids. The production has this dark, retro feel. I wanted listeners to feel like they were in an arcade because I felt like high school was a weird game nobody could win.
Stranger: This song is about new beginnings. I used to think goodbyes were painful and tragic moments in life, but sometimes they’re blessings. Especially when it’s a goodbye you never knew you needed. I really love how the song to comes across almost cinematically. Lyrically, it takes you from the awkward car ride conversation into this awakening moment of freedom.
California King: Sometimes circumstances around you are beyond your control. Even when a relationship doesn’t work out as expected, that person can still hold a special place in your heart. Since this song is about reminiscing better times, the production centers around analog synths and textures to give the track a vintage feel. Almost like you're stuck in an 1980s Hollywood film.
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