Esthero

Esthero(/ɛsˈtɛroʊ/es-TERR-oh;bornJenny-Bea Englishmanon December 23, 1978 inStratford, Ontario)is a Canadian singer-songwriter who lives in Los Angeles, California. The nameEstherorefers both to the singer and formerly to the two-person team of herself and producerDoc McKinney.Esthero is aportmanteauof "Esther the hero"; she claims to have gotten the name by combining the name of the heroine (Esther) and last line ( "If I am to be the hero, then I cannot fly from darkness" ) of the film fromSylvia Plath's novelThe Bell Jar.

Esthero
Esthero in 2008
Background information
Birth name	Jenny-Bea Englishman
Born	(1978-12-23)December 23, 1978 Stratford, Ontario,Canada
Origin	Toronto,Ontario, Canada
Genres	Electronica trip hop R&B jazz experimental rock lounge indie pop
Occupations	Singer-songwriter record producer arranger activist
Years active	1997–present
Labels	The WORK Group Reprise Universal Canada
Website	esthero.net

Esthero's sound characteristically features her voice over a mix of mellow bass lines, jazzy trumpets, Spanish guitar and hip-hop. She is sometimes compared to artistsBjörk,Portishead,Billie Holiday,andSade.She has co-produced the majority of the material she performed.Later female artists who count Esthero among their influences includeRes,Fergieand fellow CanadianNelly Furtado.

Esthero's brother,Jason Englishman,is also a musician.

Career

Early life

At the age of sixteen, Esthero moved from the small town ofWalkerton, Ontarioon her own toToronto, Ontario,where she began singing at open-mic nights while supporting herself by working at different jobs. She was seen singing at theFree Times Cafeby manager Beau Ovcaric who set up a showcase for his partner Zack Werner.They introduced her to EMI Publishing Canada president Michael McCarty, whom she charmed so well during their first meeting that without hearing her sing a single note he set up and paid for recording sessions withMartin "Doc" McKinney,a guitarist and studio engineer.

1997:Breath from Another

The young duo quickly began recording together, and six demos in were being courted on the presidency level by almost every major label in the US. Thanks to then EMI publishing US president Rick Krim their demo's reached the ears of the heads of theWork Group(a subsidiary of Sony). Their debut album,Breath from Another,was released to critical acclaim in Spring 1998.

1998–2003: Collaborations and success

Following the dissolution of the WORK label, Esthero was released from her contract. She signed with Reprise in 2000. In 1998, after a remix of one of her songs ( "Country Livin'" ) was used included on the soundtrack for "Slam",Esthero received attention from many hip-hop and rap artists, with many requesting collaborations with her.Some such collaborations were fruitful, such as her work with theBlack Eyed Peason "Weekends",which was an international hit.

In 2001, Esthero collaborated with German producerIan Pooleyon "Balmes (A Better Life)",which reached the Top 75 of theUK Singles chartand gave Esthero her first entry on the US Dance charts.

2004–2005:O.G. BitchandWikked Lil Grrrls

On April 20, 2004—without Doc's assistance—Esthero releasedO.G. Bitch,a standalone EP featuring six alternate remixes of the title track, plus theB-side"I Love You". The song topped the club charts in the US.The following year, she released a second EP, titledWe R in Need of a Musical Revolution.The EP spawned a hit of the same nameand led the way to Esthero's 2005 full-length album on theWarner Bros.label,Wikked Lil' Grrrls,seven years following her debut album, to mixed critical reaction.The album features contributions fromSean Lennon,André 3000,Jemeni,Jelleestone,andCee-Lo GreenofGoodie Mob.

2007–2011: Split from record company and collaborations

In 2007, Esthero amicably parted ways with Venus Management. She continues to have a familial bond with Zack and Beau. Esthero is currently self managed.

2008 was an eventful year for Esthero, with a number of high-profile collaborations including the viral sensation "Yes We Can",a song (with accompanying video) inspired by a speech delivered byBarack Obamaand produced bywill.i.am.Esthero also provided the voice of the spaceship J.A.N.E. onKanye West's Glow in the Dark tour and appeared on his album808s & Heartbreak,on which she co-wrote three tracks under her real name.2008 also saw her take on the role of producer for a track fromDangerous Muse's debut album and a co-writer onBrandy'salbumHuman.She is featured onhip hop musicproducerTimbaland's 2009 albumShock Value IIon the songs "Can You Feel It" and "Undertow" with bandThe Fray.The latter entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 100, giving Esthero her first and only Hot 100 entry in the US.

2012–present:Everything Is Expensiveand "Baby Steps"

On June 5, 2012, Esthero released a new single titled "Never Gonna Let You Go",which was co-written and co-produced withAdam Bravin(She Wants Revenge). The song was featured in the February 21, 2013 episode of the ABC medical dramaGrey's Anatomy,titled "This Is Why We Fight".The song reached number 72 on theCanadian Hot 100,giving Esthero her first entry on the chart.

On October 30, 2012, Esthero self-released a new album titledEverything Is Expensive.It debuted at number thirteen on theBillboardTop Heatseekerschart in the US.In Canada, the album was released through Universal Music.

In 2016, "Breath from Another" was nominated for aPolaris Heritage Prize,for best album from 1996 to 2005.The album lost, however, toArcade Fire's "Funeral"(which won the public vote) andLhasa de Sela's "La Llorona"(which won the jury vote).

In 2019, Esthero was featured in Black Eyed Peas song "4ever", and was in the accompanying music video which was published on February 1, 2019.Via social media, Esthero announced the song "Baby Steps" on February 3, 2019.

Chart history

Esthero's singles typically perform well in North America. She has had three songs enter the USDance Club Songschart ( "Balmes",with Ian Pooley;"O.G. Bitch";and"Fastlane",with Jemeni & Jelleestone); two of the songs reached the top five of the chart and one," O.G. Bitch ", reached number one.She has also had two entries on the US Dance Singles Sales chart ( "O.G. Bitch" and "Fastlane" ), both of which reached the top ten.She has had one chart entry in the UK ( "Balmes", which broke the Top 75),and one chart entry in her native Canada ( "Never Gonna Let You Go", which reached number 72 on theirHot 100 chart).

Appearances on television and soundtracks

Esthero has appeared on theChris Rock Show,Video on Trial,Jimmy Kimmel Live!,as well asLate Night with Conan O'BrienandFarmclubwithThe Black Eyed Peas.She has also contributed songs to the filmsI Still Know What You Did Last Summer,Go,Bounce,Zero Effect,I Think I Love My WifeandDown With Love,as well as the video game007: Nightfire.Collaborations in which she has participated have appeared inLove & BasketballandSlam.

Her song "Wikked Lil' Grrrls" has also appeared in the filmMiss Congeniality 2and in commercial spots forSex and the CityandDesperate Housewives,on the TV showBoston Legal,Smallville,and also on the TV showLas Vegasand its soundtrack, and the filmJohn Tucker Must Die.

The song "Black Mermaid," features prominently in the 2018 filmNappily Ever After,aromantic comedystarringSanaa Lathan,in which Lathan's character sings a verse from the song (at approximately the 55-minute mark), with Esthero's recording appearing in the following scene. The end credits state that "Esthero appears courtesy of her beautiful mother and her own damn self."

Discography

Main article:Esthero discography

• Breath from Another(1998; The WORK Group)
• Wikked Lil' Grrrls(2005; Reprise)
• Everything Is Expensive(2012; Universal Music Canada)

See also

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

External links

• Official website
• Esthero's personal blog
• BackPocketMag Artist ProfileArchivedFebruary 16, 2016, at theWayback Machine,Feature on Esthero by Matthew Stroul
• EstheroatAllMusic