Artist Interview #3: Essence
mp3unsigned March 27, 2012MP3U: Our third mp3u interview is with an artist who has tasted more fame and musical success than the majority of the talented hopefuls on this fine site, so perhaps she can shed some light on her experience on the other side of the industry. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the lovely Essence.
Essence: That’s quite an intro, thankyou! Not sure “fame” is the right word, but I have achieved a lot of personal goals over my 7 year journey since first posting up test mixes and vocals for the public to crit or enjoy!
MP3U: You have over 20 releases on several different labels across the spectrum of electronic music. Can you tell us about how your first release came about?
Essence: I first started using the internet around 7 years ago. It was fresh and I used many sites that have since died sadly over time! I posted my vocals online on Spinwarp forum and someone critiqued me out of the blue, which for me was great. That someone turned out to be Jez aka Virus. We chatted online for a while and then met up. He bought his mic and pute with software loaded and Embers was born. I then bought a mic, software and external soundcard and recorded by myself from then on. To cut a long story short my first release was an independent CD album with Jez. From that album other dedicated Drum and Bass producers such as Subsonik, Ben Sage and Krooked took an interest in my vocals and made various signed releases, mostly remixes. I then worked independently with them writing and recording lyrics specifically to tracks they sent, mostly using Myspace and Dogs on Acid as contact points. “Drop in the Ocean” on Dirty Habit was my first vinyl release. Vinyl is so important to me still as a medium that you can touch and embrace. I have the picture of said vinyl release framed above my computer to give me positive vibes. And also to remind me that vinyl will NEVER die! (ahem, sorry mp3U lol)
MP3U: No, no, couldn’t agree with you more. I remember when CDs first came out, thinking “how can people enjoy album artwork anymore?”. Vinyl is like a tangible possession you can feel proud of owning.
Essence: I also want to add that EVERY single release “Feat Essence” has been due to the great producers I have worked with over the years! I write and record the vocals, but without their music and magic production skills releasing music would not be an opportunity for me. Thankyou to each and every artist I have worked with and will work with in the future. I am a collab whore, and proud of it!
MP3U: You have also had airplay on BBC Radio. Matt Darey, international DJ, has also championed tracks with your vocals in his notorious “Nocturnal Sunshine” show. To add to this you have presented Radio with Alex Zane, UK TV presenter and DJ. Can you tell us about those experiences?
Essence: I am very proud about BBC Airplay I do admit. I used to listen to Pete Tong back in the day and record Friday nights on Tapes religiously! I urge anyone who wants to get played to just submit tracks! BBC Unsigned is one way to get a different kind of listener for your music. You also never know who may be listening. Huw Stevens showed interest in one of my projects after BBC Introducing played it several times… It’s always a game of chance. And if you don’t play, you can’t participate!
Matt Darey rinsing tunes with my vocals on the dance floor and his radio shows? Well that is what it is really all about! If established DJ’S feel they can play music you are in singing to huge dancefloors then as a vocalist you know you did something good!
MP3U: For sure.
Essence: Getting the chance to present radio with Alex Zane for Myspace at Content Studios in London was a true highlight for me! Myspace ran a comp and I had to submit a 1.30 min video to apply. Tommy Twin from Mp3U helped me by adding his Mongo touch lol! I got chosen to present alongside Alex. It was user voted from that point, I got voted to stay on for the next week, then voted off lol. Win some, lose some! The experience was awesome. Being in that cosy studio with all the warm glow of equipment was cathartic for me! I also got to interview Mark Thomas which was an added bonus. Presenting radio is definitely something I enjoy, and would love to do again.
MP3U: You have also DJ’d Europe, which must have been exciting. Can you tell us a little about that, and which genres you most enjoy mixing live?
Essence: My very first DJ gig was in Antwerp, Belgium after posting a dance/trance mix online on a European site and a promoter booked me. I broke my DJ cherry right there n then in Antwerp! It was an excellent gig, very well paid and organised. The people were so friendly (aka mash up lol)! No smoking ban over there, ahem! I saw this as a test, because I was booked for Eastern Haze festival main dance stage shortly after in the UK and the 20k rig loomed! It was a wise test and I am thankful I broke my cherry in Europe before I got a hold of that 20k beast of a system at a UK Festival, also hard dance vibesl! My best DJ experience though was a DnB night, handing over the decks to Aphrodite in a small venue in the city of Canterbury,UK! The vibes were off the chart and it was so close, small club – no space between decks and djs/mcs. I also got to meet an old school god of drum and bass (Mr Aphrodite) and handed over the decks over with one of his older tracks lol! Cheese factor 10, I know! But hey, simple things please simple minds.
Hard dance and techno will always be my favourite genres to mix. DnB can be tricky sometimes with all the different bass drops, not to mention annoying MC’s chatting rubbish over every mix lol!
MP3U: How has the DJing experience affected your creative approach to your own music (if at all)?
Essence: I guess I always listen to artists dance mixes and know where it should intro, main drop, lead out, etc. (in my opinion). I don’t always listen to dance music, so those same rules do not apply always. If I am listening to pop, guitar, hip hop, whatever then I expect those genres to follow a certain pattern that flows I guess. I like to feel music that flows easily within its genre.
MP3U: Our sources tell us you were also reviewed in ‘Weed World’ magazine. Who’d have thought gardeners have such great taste in music!
Essence: LOL…Who would have thought?! Weed World is an iconic mag for some people in the UK. It has been around for years with a lot of informative knowledge you know *cough*. This is another one of those moments where you send CDs out to many magazines, newspapers, computer games companies and Mainstream Labels and just see what happens. I sent many CDs out, Weed World listened and published their thoughts! What can I say? Lol. Glad they published us between a review of Tiesto and Tom Findlay (Groove Armada) though! I am still waiting to hear back from Sony with an exclusive deal….lol.
MP3U: Bringing it back home a little, what was your first chart-topper here on mp3u?
Essence: MP3U Chart topper? Probably “Embers” ViralEssence with Jez. As I said I met him early on in my journey and he used mp3unsigned a lot back then. He posted our tracks here and introduced me also. The feedback was good and it was a natural move for me to use this website more often from then onwards. I realised it was home to a lot of similar other like minded musicians wanting feedback and advise as to how to improve.
MP3U: You have said that in 2012 you hope to fulfil your dream of singing onstage. As of this writing, your latest collaboration on mp3u is “There Was A Time” with Pidgeman, which is more classic rock/pop than your usual style. Is this the type of genre you envision yourself on stage singing, or would you lean more towards dance music?
Essence: Craig did a cool job with that track, and I loved the music he sent me for sure.
For live performance, I want it to be organic, so yes have a real feel with guitars, drummers and percussion, yet embrace electronic dance music technology! I have had several fleeting promises of bands wanting to collab…. But nothing sadly has materialised so far for me. My ideal band would embrace accoustic and digital input rolled into one lush combo! I want beats, bass, delivered vocals and guitars. Accoustic/Dub/Rock/Electronica.I am still open to pm’s on that subject, so get in contact if you are interested!
MP3U: What was the last track you listened to on your discman, iThingy, whatever? Be honest now.
Essence: If I am honest I do not have a Discman, Ipod, WhyPod?… I listen to music on my dedicated music pute that is sent to me daily online, past music I cherish from other artists on my hard drive, and also my own work (online already and new works that are private wips). I admit my music intake may be limited by what others send me and also by what I record, but lately I prefer listening to these tracks over mainstream music mostly.
MP3U: Which begs the question, do you have any idea who is currently at number 1 in the UK or US mainstream charts?
Essence: I have been very aware that DJ Fresh Feat Rita Ora “Hot right now” has made it to number 1 in the UK charts with a DNB track in recent weeks. I keep an eye on DOA forum to watch the journey that DNB takes. To see DNB make a number 1 is pretty epic, even if true heads have deemed it “Bubblegum pop dnb”. The ironic lyrics make me smirk…also gives me renewed hope for hooking up with more DNB producers this year!
As a side note for future charts if Plan B “Ill Manors” makes it to Number one with the Amen break featuring during the chorus in his track, it will be pretty epic, despite the fact I hate his message in this track. It feel fake to me…
But, last time I heard the radio at work it was Gotye Feat Kimbra with “Somebody that I used to know” at number 1. This track could be something that Deon from Mp3U would write. It’s extremely catchy…and Kimbra’s vocal is sweet, not to mention she looks beautiful! It’s a very well written collaboration, connected symbiosis. The video is also simple yet compelling.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY
As of this week though, I have no idea at all….ask me again in a weeks time 
MP3U: Do you have any favourite musicians on mp3u, including but not limited to past collaborators?
Essence: Angel always has a place in my heart. I miss her so badly! The Lady got taken before her time. I will always cherish her memory and sounds. She had amazing spirit and I felt connected with her love of good music and party vibes. Soul sister if you like….she was a cool Babe <3
Angel aka RedDress link is below, please blast her music loud in memory:
http://www.mp3unsigned.com/RedDress
As for favourites past and present, it would be too hard to choose as I love many genres and artists. Plus I have been here since 2006! And I also have a special place in my heart for each, and every, collaboration I have done.
Not stating favourites, I would rather just say thankyou to the following people for their inspiration and down to earth love of the music :
Jez, RedDress, Clive (aka Spyda, Dimension5), Melinda Mohn, Martez, KTA, Carol Sue Kirkpatrick, Dan Michealson, Mezzer, Ricky, Markoboko, Andy Stokes, Cary (Attic Tracks).
MP3U: What’s your personal favourite song in your own repertoire, signed or unsigned doesn’t matter, and why?
Essence: I would say “Staring at Infinity”. The original vocals I recorded for Marty (m4rt3z), a talented trance producer on Mp3Unsigned. He made a sweet as trance track and “Staring at Infinity” was born thanks to him. A remix of the original (again by Martez) is number one on my mp3U player. I later sent the same vocals to Subsonik and he made a Drum and Bass remix that went viral.
If you put “staring at infinity subsenix feat essence” into Youtube search the user uploads are pretty cool! It blows my mind that so many unique users I will never know upload this Drum and Bass remix of my vocal monthly still to this day. Subsonik and Ben Sage (Subsenix) made a mint DNB Version. It has been used in Gamer videos, Mountain biking videos, people dancing to it showing off their skills videos, and many more people just uploading the track to their accounts because they love it and want to share it! That to me is mission accomplished! It makes me warm inside. You can make 100 tracks that go un-noticed but if just one or two tunes make it through the masses and is loved/remembered then it feels worth it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfCf5fPIDoM
Subsonik Feat Essence “Inside your Mind” is my second favourite track and also loved by many dnb heads!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJOT3tHuBWo
MP3U: Finally, the most musically-relevant question of all: which football team do you support?
Essence: Football? Tsk tsk! Give me an Extreme Sportsman over a wimpy overpaid football player and WAG entourage anytime…
MP3U: OK then, who’s your favourite Extreme Sportsman?
Essence: It would have to be a toss up between Andre Phillip and Lewis Crathern. Both down to earth, adrenaline buzzed and good looking kitesurfers! Lewis may have the edge slightly just because he jumped over Brighton pier! Respect!
MP3U: As we speak, untold numbers of mp3u readers are scribbling in their diaries “take up kitesurfing lessons next week!” 
Essence, it’s been a real pleasure. Thanks for your time!
Essence: Thankyou for yours – Peas! Ess X
Comments (8)
Another informative interview in the series of featured artists. I’m quite enjoying becoming familiar with the artists I read, comments from/about and listen to. Nice to have a little biographical portrait to go with the monikers we see on the site.
An enjoyable read.
Thanks,
Terry3PM4
Top interview, top artist, top woman…………….(phwoarrrr!!)
Beautiful voice and a sweetheart. I have collaborated with her in the past (online collaboration) and it has been a pleasure. Hopefully she will get that Sony exclusive deal soon!
Not only is Essence easily one of the best female vocalists on this site, but she is also very cool and down to Earth. I asked her if she could provide vocals on one of my songs for me so I can see what it would be like to have someone that can sing rather than hear my voice - which was the only other vocalist I have had to endure (LMAO!) and she did such a great job - I had chills! I am very happy to have had a chance to cross paths with her and have been taken with many of her songs from different genres, including this last song with Pidgeman (who also rocks!) I usually try to stay away from describing women superficially as beautiful and/or attractive, but Essence truly is a beautiful and attractive person because of her openness to try many different genres and artists in the pursuit of musicianship, and I really enjoyed this interview with her.
A special interview, with a very special lady~ congratulations,sweetie!
I have always been so proud of you, Essence… and I always will be.
An pleasure to hear all of your songs, and an honor to have worked with you in CarEss music!
May the angels keep guiding you to greatness!
Always did feel like your sis/mum ((hug))
Love ya,lots! Carol sis/mum/sue
Great interview Darth and Ess, always interested to hear about peoples successes and back stories. Glad to see tha things are working out for you Ess, hope things keep going from strength to strength!
Excellent interview!! Loved it. A very grounded attitude and an all round nice person!!
Good interview… always a pleasure to work with Ess…. Down to earth, honest musician and vocalist. Some truly great artists/people on MP3U!. Cheers!