Esther Rose

Want Esther Rose

Esther Rose was on a long solo drive when she began crafting the opening title track of Want, her captivating fifth album. Initially, the words emerged almost playfully, a means to entertain herself as the miles slipped by. “I want a puppy, but I don’t want a mess. I want to know where I’m going without GPS,” she sang from behind the wheel. Quickly, this seed of creativity blossomed into a diverse list of desires, ranging from existential and spiritual to mundane; from romantic to platonic and familial. These themes were ambitiously expansive yet strikingly relatable, all woven into a catchy melody that marries her pop sensibilities with country storytelling and the raw energy of a basement punk show, signaling the genesis of another classic Esther Rose song.

This unique blend has established the Santa Fe-based artist as one of her generation's most cherished songwriters, known for live shows that often end in tears and group hugs. However, this album felt different to Rose. “For me, these songs felt like revelations,” she explains, likening the 11-song record to a memoir brimming with dynamic storytelling and personal insight. The album’s direct and nuanced writing discusses rock bottom encounters, shifting relationships with substances, evolving perspectives on adult partnerships, and even includes a few humorous asides, as hinted by the early lyrics in “Want.” Vivid and compelling, Want places you right in the passenger seat, making you feel every emotion as it arrives.