Esme Emerson discuss their sibling dynamic and new EP 'Applesauce' • Interview • DIY Magazine

“If you’re gay, then listen to us!” exclaims Esme Lee-Scott, one half of folk-pop sibling duo Esme Emerson. Sitting next to her brother, Emerson (currently sporting a Twilight t-shirt), the pair excitedly bounce off each other, finishing each other’s sentences in the way that only two people bonded by a lifetime of shared company can. “Yeah, if you’re gay and a little bit weird, and you like weird things, listen to us. That’s how I want to promote ourselves.”

Growing up, their four year age gap meant the siblings had never entirely connected. But that all changed during the pandemic when, over online lessons and dining room table homework, they realised they had more in common than they thought. “I think that felt like the right time for us to start writing together,” Emerson reflects with a smile, while Esme notes: “I feel like I was very nervous to approach lots of songwriting at first. I was too scared to be really vulnerable about it.”

Since then, a lot has changed: they went from approaching music separately to “filling in each other’s gaps”, and last year reached the self-described “huge milestone” of opening for The Japanese House on tour. Now, Esme Emerson have three EPs to their name, including latest release ‘Applesauce’. “I feel like we really throw ourselves into it now,” says Esme. “The more vulnerable, the more sincere it is, the more rewarding it is to write songs.”

Being siblings, Emerson explains, also gives them the advantage of “sharing a brain”. “There’s this unspoken trust and acknowledgement that whatever either of us does is going to be the right thing for both of us,” he smiles. Esme agrees, noting: “We don’t need to talk about anything. We’re both kind of on the same wavelength with where we’re going with a song.”

“We don’t need to talk about anything. We’re both on the same wavelength with where we’re going with a song.”

— Esme Lee-Scott

Growing up in Suffolk with Chinese and British heritage, Esme Emerson never felt like they fitted in. Now, they’ve found connection in each other and in their music, creating a safe space not just for themselves but for their fans too. “I like to think that we’ve found a bigger sense of belonging as we’ve grown up,” says Esme. “Allowing ourselves to be really honest in the music and the songs was sort of where we could be unapologetically ourselves.”

All that being said, the pair remain eager to keep pushing their boundaries, and ‘Applesauce’ is testament to this desire “not to be boxed in”. From the glitchy pop-rock of ‘Too Far Gone’, to the playful folk of ‘Yard’ and the blissed-out electronica of ‘Stay’, the EP’s four influence-spanning tracks represent a real maturation, and are perhaps only the first step towards broader horizons to come. “I think we’d like to dive more into folky and country-esque genres, or a bit more Midwest emo and math rocky stuff,” Emerson explains excitedly, while Esme nods effusively. “I love the new Oklou record and obviously [Charli xcx’s] ‘BRAT’ and these more electronic records; [we love] hyperpop and the PC Music scene, too.”

Having already amassed over 100,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, the duo show no signs of slowing down any time soon. “I really want to make an album. As long as I’ve made an album that I’m really proud of, I think I could die happy,” Emerson laughs, before sheepishly adding: “I also want to play Glastonbury.”

For Esme Emerson, writing music isn’t just about the songs – it’s about carving out a space where they, and others who feel like they don’t quite fit in, truly belong. With their ever-evolving sound and their unwavering sense of self, maybe Glastonbury isn’t so far off after all.

‘Applesauce’ is out now via Communion Records.

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