ESSIRAY discusses her constantly evolving sound, her latest single LOSE YOU, and collaborations with Chris Benza and Rory Sweeney. She also shares insights into her live shows, writing process, and early musical influences.
Dublin-based ESSIRAY has been immersed in music since childhood, with early experiences ranging from learning classical piano under her mother’s guidance to being captivated by the groove-laden rhythms and soulful hooks of Lauryn Hill’s Miseducation. Her musical education is a rich tapestry of contrasting influences, spanning the traditional sounds of opera and orchestral music to the bold, contemporary realms of R&B, indie sleaze, and now jungle and drum & bass.
This diverse background is reflected in her output, which oscillates between pop and indie-inspired tracks and the high-octane, visceral energy of drum and bass and jungle. ESSIRAY doesn’t fit neatly into any one scene—and she doesn’t try to. She embraces the challenge of surprising audiences, often reveling in the underdog spirit her chameleon-like artistry embodies. Her performances shock and intrigue, keeping listeners on their toes.
While her sound constantly evolves within the elastic boundaries of her creativity, ESSIRAY’s soulful, passionate vocals and heartfelt songwriting remain a constant. Her unmistakable voice anchors her music, creating a signature sound that is undeniably hers, even as she pushes the limits of genre and expectation. For an artist who thrives on diversity, achieving this level of consistency and authenticity is no small feat. Her distinct voice underpinsher records, providing an undeniably unique sound that establishes her sound even as she propels the boundaries of genre and expectation. Obtaining this level of consistency and sincerity is an obstacle for an artist who lives on the edge of genre conventions.
Let’s start at the beginning—when was the ESSIRAY project born, and how was it conceived? This wasn’t your first venture into music, but rather your first moniker, correct?
I knew from a young age that music was going to be my path. My whole life has been about finding new ways to express myself through it. Songwriting was a passion of mine, but I felt like I needed some structure in order to grow. So, I sat down, taught myself how to produce, and released two singles that I wrote, recorded, produced, and mixed all on my own under the name ESSIRAY. I had no idea what I was doing, and the quality was far from perfect, but I put it out there anyway. That was the hardest part—just starting. Once I did, I gained the confidence to keep going, telling myself, “Alright, I’ve started now, there’s no going back.” I’m grateful for that moment because now, with ESSIRAY, it feels like I’ve finally found the musical outlet I had been searching for.
Is there a particular meaning behind the name “ESSIRAY”?
The name ESSIRAY holds a lot of personal meaning for me. Essi was my grandmother’s name. Although I didn’t get to spend much time with her—she passed away when I was very young—I’ve always been fascinated by her. From what I’ve heard, she was ahead of her time, incredibly fashionable, kind, and full of love. The name Essi always resonated with me, so it felt right to choose it as part of my artist name. Ray is short for Rachel, my real name.
You have a background in opera, a genre deeply rooted in tradition. What attracted you to the more experimental, less conventional world of jungle and drum & bass?
I became fascinated with opera when I was quite young. I was blown away by the vocal ability of opera singers and wanted to push myself to become one. I loved opera music because, even though it is very traditional, you have to find ways to make it your own without changing the music. I spent a lot of time working on existing songs, thinking, OK, how am I going to make this my own? One night, I found myself at a DnB club night in Wigwam that I kind of accidentally went to, thinking it was something else, but I’m glad I stayed. The music impacted me like no other DJ setI’d been to before. I thought to myself, Wait, imagine if I put my own vocals on something like this. That moment started a journey for me, deep diving into the classics. In a way, even though they’re polar opposites of opera, they share that challenge of asking, How am I going to take this and make it super different? That idea excited me.
What music did you listen to growing up? Can you paint a picture of your musical upbringing and share who some of your formative artists were?
I grew up surrounded by music. My mam was a music teacher and taught piano, so I spent a lot of time learning from her. On the other hand, my dad loved so many different genres. I grew up listening to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill on repeat—still one of my favourite albums. We had Kate Bush, The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, and David Bowie playing around the house. All those really shaped who I am as a musician. Then there was my sister, who was eight years older than me. She introduced me to indie sleaze bands like The Last Shadow Puppets and The Kooks. I was obsessed with The Kooks—I still know all their songs by heart.
So, I had this mix of classical music, iconic artists, and modern indie sounds growing up. Without realising it, I was always taking notes and drawing inspiration from everything I heard. That blendof influences has definitely shaped the way I approach music today.
Can you give us an insight into your writing process? Do you prefer a specific setting—like a studio, or your room—or is it more spontaneous?
Writing happens for me whenever I have spare time—when I’m not working or out with friends. I’m constantly thinking of ideas, revisiting old ones, and figuring out what I can tweak or develop. I love being alone in my room, in the quiet, where I can really connect with my thoughts and figure out what I want to write about. That said, writing in the studio is a completely different process. It can feel challenging being surrounded by people and having to come up with something on the spot. But over time, I’ve learned to embrace it. I’ve been in situations like songwriting sessions or studio days where ideas have to flow quickly, and it can actually be quite inspiring. People bounce ideas off each other, and even if something doesn’t work, it might spark something new in someone else.
Let’s talk about your latest single, LOSE YOU. How are you feeling now that it’s out in the world?
Every time I release a song, I feel a sense of peace because it’s like, ‘Ah, this song I put so much work into is finally out in the world.’ It’s no longer just mine—it takes on so many different forms. It can evolve and maybe even reach someone who needs to hear it that day.
The single has an anthemic quality, celebrating resilience and the idea of never giving up. Can you share some of the backstory and concept behind the track?
“LOSE YOU’ has different meanings for me because I wrote it at different points in my life. The first verse came during a time when I felt like I was disappointing the people I loved and falling short in situations I’d worked hard for. A few weeks later, I came back to it and wrote the choruswith a new perspective—acknowledging that time heals, people grow, and life is all about change. The feelings you have now won’t last forever, and living in fear of loss will only hold you back.
The second verse touches on how artists today are pressured to chase numbers, and followers, and maintain a constant presence. It’s easy to get wrapped up in that, especially when you’re starting out. The line, ‘finding out why I need this in my core so I’m not always out here looking for more,’ reflects my constant reminder to myself of the real reason I make my art. Once I’m clear on that, it’s easier to avoid getting distracted by things I can’t control.
Lose You follows a similar concept to many of my songs—taking a strong storyline and melody, then pairing it with a fun dance track. It’s about blending deeper meaning with the light, easygoing vibe that dance music brings. The combination of those two elements makes it an enjoyableexperience
You’ve been moving toward jungle and drum & bass lately. What inspired this shift into new musical territory?
It all started with experimentation, to be honest. I’ve explored a lot of different genres while figuring out the sound I connect with most. I draw inspiration from artists who put their own twist on the genre, like Nia Archines and Piri, who bring a pop influence to jungle and drum and bass. I’m also a big fan of Zero T—I love the jazzier elements in some of his tracks, like “She Moves.” High Contrast’s album True Colours also wows me; the production is amazing, and I love how all the synth sounds mix with the most industrial elements. It’s just incredible.
On New Year’s Eve 2023, I started making my first jungle-inspired track, which went on to become Bullshit. I sampled a beat, added my vocals, and thought, This feels like me. This is something Icould really explore. When I released it, it felt the most authentic to me and really resonated with people. That pushed me to keep going, and now I’ve built up a huge backlog of drum and bass, jungle, and UK garage-inspired tracks.I’ve realised that my softer vocals blend really well with these faster, more chaotic beats, which match my own chaotic energy. The faster the music, the more it feels right to me.
You’ve also been collaborating with various electronic producers, with Chris Benza being one of the most recent. How did that collaboration come about, and what was it like workingtogether?
I came across a drum and bass remix Chris did and thought, ‘This guy is super talented.’ I sent himtwo songs—Lose You and Make It Happen, a jungle-inspired track I’ll be releasing soon—and asked if he’d be down to work on them. We hit it off both as friends and creatively. Chris isincredibly talented and has a lot of knowledge and passion for these genres. His roots are in drumand bass, and during the studio sessions, we spent time listening to tracks from Noisia and BadCompany UK, really diving into the old-school classics. He quickly understood the direction Iwanted to take, which meant a lot.
In addition to Chris Benza, you’ve also worked with Rory Sweeney on Bullshit. Can you tell us how that collaboration unfolded and what the experience was like?
My collaboration with Rory came about quite naturally. I can’t pinpoint exactly when we decided to work together—it was probably a conversation at a gig. Bullshit came to life after I sent him a very raw demo I had created, and he said, ‘Yeah, I can work with this.’ We recorded the vocals in mysitting room—no fancy studio, no soundproofing, just a mic that was barely holding together—and that rawness ended up complementing the track perfectly.
Rory is such a ‘think outside the box’ kind of producer. He’s constantly pushing the boundaries of creativity, and working with him on my first jungle track was an absolute pleasure. Beforecollaborating with him, I played it a bit safe with my music and my writing. But working on thistrack with Rory, and having his encouragement, was a real turning point for me. It gave me theconfidence to embrace this direction fully, and for that, I’m grateful.
Let’s talk about playing live. You seem to balance large-scale festivals like Forbidden Fruitand Beyond The Pale with more intimate venues like Workman’s and Whelan’s. Do you havea preference between these two settings?
Both experiences are very different. Performing at places like Whelan’s, where my sound isn’t whatpeople expect, is a challenge I enjoy. I’m usually between rock or metal bands, playing to a crowdthat might not typically listen to electronic pop, drum and bass, or jungle. If I can get the crowd intoit, even if it’s not their usual style, that means a lot to me. Plus, I get to ramble more, which I enjoy.
Festivals, on the other hand, bring an unmatched energy. The crowd is buzzing, and my musicworks well at festivals because it’s full of high energy, positivity, and joy. The sound systems at festivals are incredible, and experiencing that is a bonus. Every performance space presents its own challenge, but I love the variety. Whether there are five people or a hundred in the crowd, you’re always getting 100% ESSIRAY.
Speaking of Forbidden Fruit, your debut performance there was a landmark for the Essirayproject. Can you tell us a bit about that experience?
I got a message on Instagram just two days before Forbidden Fruit asking if I was available to perform. At first, I thought it was a scam, but it turned out to be legit. I ended up with the first sloton the smallest stage, but it didn’t matter—the sun was shining, I was rocking cowboy boots and afloral mini-dress, living my best life. A few early arrivals danced with me, and it was such an amazing experience. Now, I’ve just been confirmed for Forbidden Fruit 2025, exactly two yearsafter my first performance. My sound and stage performance have evolved a lot since then, and I’llbe on a bigger stage, so it’ll be a bit of a “pinch me” moment.
Finally, what do you have coming up that we should keep an eye out for?
There’s a lot of new music on the way, and 2025 is going to be filled with lots of bops, new sounds, and hopefully even more collaborations.
