Review: Βανέσσα Κουρτέση – 'Spending time with Esther'

The Βανέσσα Κουρτέση presents the EP titled "Spending time with Esther", through her personal project "I am Esther”. The EP contains three songs that simultaneously unfold both her own story and Esther's. Through a jazz soundscape and Vanessa's crystalline voice, we encounter a unique musical and interpretive narration of the world of these two women. It's a production with contributors from Greece and the Netherlands, recorded in November 2021 in Athens.

"Esther is a girl of my imagination, based on a real one, Esther Vanomrigh, who lived her story around 300 years ago."

"The music of this EP is a conversation between us that's been going on for a while. Searching for her life, and trying to understand her, I wanted to tell her story again from the beginning. Esther, after experiencing the loss of her father at age 15, apprenticed alongside a famous writer who was much older than her. The two of them had a romantic relationship, which Esther lived through amid constant disappointments and abusive situations until the end of her life. In one of his poems, he gave her the name "Vanessa"."

"The only thing I discovered about her was her relationship with this man."

"I created a fairy tale, in which she wakes up in the present day and gets the chance to retell everything she lived through. Redeeming herself from the stigma of that relationship and unfolding other aspects of her personality that were lost over the years and in words that weren't her own. Over the 4 years that the story was born and unfolded in my mind as I tried to get to know this girl, I realized how much she was pushing me to get to know myself. This project is the stories of two women, Esther and Vanessa, living at different points in time, helping each other express themselves and move forward. It's a story about depression, abuse, self-estrangement, and ultimately about coming home, whatever that means for each person."

On the music

The combination Vanessa offers us is unique. The three tracks released on this first EP reveal exceptional talent. The sweet melodies of the songs, combined with her crystalline voice, create tremendous atmosphere. They seem, in fact, to be the perfect companion for relaxation and reflection. A chilled-out drink, and you'll let yourself travel down the paths of this EP's wonderful music. The only certain thing is that we can't wait for the full album.

With the project having such a fantastic back story (like the one mentioned above), everything points to it being on the right track to succeed. A project that doesn't stop at the story and its background, but is framed by very beautiful compositions and significant musical collaborations.

Credits:

The recording took place at Syn Ena Studios (Facebook, Instagram) by Γιάννης Ταβουλάρης and Παντελής Νικηφόρος who also did the mixing, while mastering was done by Νίκος Λάβδας.

• Χάρης Λαμπράκης
• Νίκος Σιδηροκαστρίτης
• Massimiliano Dosoli
• Sebastien Wrinq
• Γιώργος Μπερερής
• Στέλλα Μαγγανά
• Ηλέκτρα Ποϊράζογλου
• Γιάννης Βαγιανός
• Matteo Paggi
• Κώστας Φούντας Αλουπογιάννης