Nashville pop artist Essy released her new single “No Prisoners” today, and she tells us, “This song is about the phrase – ‘It’s Not You It’s Me.’ It’s about being the ‘bad guy’ and cutting ties with a relationship that isn’t right. It’s about knowing your worth, owning who you are, and cutting off people that don’t serve you well. Women are often categorized as emotional, crazy, foolish when they stand up for themselves. I decided to embrace that persona and write this song from the perspective of a ‘crazy, heartless’ woman ‘killing’ off bad love.”
Essy, born Rachel Braig, taught herself to play piano and began writing her own songs at eleven years old. Her original compositions secured her acceptance into songwriting programs at Berklee College of Music and New York University’s Steinhardt School. During her residencies, she cut her teeth writing with industry veterans Barry Eastmond (Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston) and Maia Sharpe (Carole King, The Dixie Chicks), as well as pop songwriter Michael Pollack (Lauv, Celine Dion). While studying undergrad at the University of Virginia, fate interceded when a piano ballad she composed caught the attention of Atlantic electronic duo Ship Wrek. Essy’s first cut with NCS Records’ Star Party soon followed, and an early graduation prompted a move to Nashville to songwrite alongside promising penners, including Johnluke Lewis (LANY), Jintae Ko (OneRepublic), Daniel Agee (Jessie James Decker), Paris Carney (Adam Lambert), Mike Pappas (Meghan Trainor), and Hunter Hayes. She began writing and producing her own artist project in 2019, releasing her first EP “Second Thoughts” in May 2020. While her EDM background is still apparent in her side-chained grooves, Essy’s beats are offset by clean, simplistic vocals and introspective storytelling that give her sound an effortless, organic quality.