Interview: E^ST’s sensitivity shines on ‘I’m Doing It’

In a year riddled with uncertainty, E^ST finds her voice in the midst of the commotion on her debut album I’m Doing It. The debut is a marker of the singer-songwriter’s sensitivity, yet is loaded with empowering sentiments. We chat to E^ST about the lead up to her first album, and about the decision to enlist the help of long-time collaborator Jim Eliot. 

How has the lead up to the debut been so far, and what kind of emotions are you feeling at the moment towards it finally coming out?It’s been surreal! I don’t feel like I’m putting out my debut album… I don’t think it has quite sunken in yet.

The music and soundscapes on the tracks so far don’t feel like they’re secondary to your voice and songwriting.

Can you talk about the decision to have them stand out alongside your voice in songs that are so deeply honest?
I love writing really honestly and with lots of emotion, and I wanted the production around the writing and performance to enhance that however it could. I love feeling transported by a song, and I really wanted there to be moments like that on this album.

Do the colourful sonic decisions make the songs more palatable to you, and make those difficult moments in your life you’ve detailed easier to digest?
Yes I think so… I always love to hide sad lyrics in happy sounding songs. Also because I like for there to be layers and moments of surprise in my music.

You’ve spoken about this originally being an EP, but realising that it’s time for this to be your debut. How did that decision come about?
It was actually from the help of a friend. I was staying with her the first week Jim and I started writing together (initially we had only planned for it to be one week). At the end of the week I played her all the demos, calling it an EP, and she then said to me that it felt like the midway point in an album, and she felt like I had more to say. And she was right, and I knew as soon as she said that.

Do you think you’ve been more hesitant or decisive through the album and decision making process? What has that been attributed to?
Since deciding to make an album, I’ve definitely been quite decisive throughout the process. From the early days of creating the album, it felt really colourful and raw to me, and I knew I had to follow my first instincts on everything and not overthink or overwork it.

What moments, and what songs felt like milestones to you on this album?
I feel like the title track, I’m Doing It, is the biggest personal milestone for me. It’s about recognising that you haven’t been ok and you lost your way a bit, but realising that you’re more than capable of handling it. Sometimes I’ll listen back to the song as a reminder to myself.

Emotion and honesty are big drivers in your songwriting, but its woven in very well with describing your surroundings and the distinct moments that have impacted you.

Do you prefer to write straight after an event or realisation, or are you more comfortable letting the height of the emotion pass before writing?
I definitely try to be as present in the moment as I can, so I normally save writing about a particular moment or experience until later. I’ve got a pretty vivid memory so it isn’t hard for me to go back to how I felt in that moment that I’m writing about.

You worked on the album with Jim Eliot, who you’ve previously worked with.

What is it about this collaboration that you find successful and fruitful?
I think the way our differences and our similarities bounce off each other is really special. And Jim’s a dreamer, and has such an emotional touch to his production, in the same way that my work is very emotionally driven. And we also just really get on as friends, and were able to spend 5 weeks in a studio together without going crazy.

When you’ve worked with someone before and understand their style, is there still opportunity to learn things from each other?
For sure! There’s room for so much growth and change as a person, and as a musician that tends to show up in your work as well. Even though I’ve known Jim for about 5 years now, I still feel like I learnt a lot from him because he’s probably learnt a lot in the last 5 years as well.

All the songs so far feel very different, and are all very playful, but emotionally heavy so far. Is that the theme for the rest of the album?
Yes I definitely love playing with those dynamics. Although there are moments on the album where the music reflects the lyrics quite directly.

What song was the most challenging, and for what reason? Did it make that song feel more rewarding?
I’d say the most challenging song to write was I’m Not Funny Anymore… because I didn’t want to write it. But it’s the song that started the creation of this album and I’m really glad I wrote that song.

Have any songs been overwhelmingly popular with fans, and resonated strongly than others? Could you share the story of that song?
I Wanna Be Here definitely seemed to come at a good time for a lot of people. It meant a lot to hear people’s connection to the song. I think another song was Talk Deep… sometimes you just need a fun tune to boogie to in your life.

Lastly, can you share what song you’re most excited for people to hear?
Hmm I think this is too hard to answer! Every song on this album is so different, it’s hard to compare them. I’m excited for people to hear them all!