Estelle has had an impressive musical career, collaborating with Kanye West, Prince and Wyclef Jean, among others. ‘I pick songs that turn your energy around,’ she says.
Courtesy photo
By Bill Vaughan
Entertainment Writer
Since leaving her native West London, England, ESTELLE has ridden the wave of her vocal prowess through a myriad of genres while collaborating with a who’s who of iconic music makers.
Back when Tasty Clips spoke with the Grammy-winning R&B artist, she was tackling something new yet close to home — reggae. It was in advance of an album released by VP Records which featured the single, “Love Like Ours” with Tarrus Riley.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said the singer born Estelle Swaray. “My parents grew up in the West Indies and Africa, so it only made sense. I wanted to go back to that vibe of sounds I listened to.”
Prince was one of the first people to school her on the industry upon her arrival in the states.
“He would say to me, ‘Make sure you own your stuff. Do you.’ So any deal I’ve done after leaving my first label has been about ownership,” Estelle said. “You don’t ever go out in today’s market and not own what you’re putting out there so you can’t eat. It doesn’t make sense.
“I’ve seen the labels and understand the marketing value, but there’s plenty of independents and plenty of consultants. I can do the same job.”
She learned about quality control and intention from Kanye West, with whom she earned mainstream success and a Grammy for the 2008 hit single “American Boy.” Will.I.Am and Wyclef Jean were also supportive while marveling at her musical instincts and IQ.
As Estelle recalled: “Wyclef said, ‘You just get it. You know rock, folk, reggae, it’s insane. You’re too young to know this stuff but I’m glad you do.’
“I realize how amazing it was at that point. I’m in my 20s and he’s looking at me like, do you understand the power you have knowing all this?”
The vocalist revealed that every single one of her records is about overcoming, like “Conqueror,” the duet with Jussie Smollett that was featured on Fox’s hit TV series “Empire.”
“I don’t like to leave people feeling like this is the end,” she said. “I pick songs that turn your energy around.”
Estelle loves acting and enjoyed filming her cameo in “Girls Trip,” but to her it is always about getting new music finished and ready to go.
“I’m pretty self-critical in a way that doesn’t exist in today’s world,” she said. “I’ve had the training, and I know what it is and I know what to do. It doesn’t let me go out prematurely or put out records that don’t make sense.
“Nothing I do is sweetening or of the moment,” Estelle declared. “If you go back to the first record, people still listen to it and play it like it was yesterday … and that’s always the aim.”
